Group psychotherapy for medical patients

Increasingly, the psychosocial needs of medical patients are being recognized and addressed by physicians. The biopsychosocial model of health and illness has been integrated into medical students' training; medical journals are publishing results of studies demonstrating mind/body links; and randomized clinical trials are being conducted using adjunct psychosocial interventions aimed at improving medical patients' outcomes. The purpose of this review paper is to increase the visibility of a promising treatment approach which has been developed for patients living with chronic diseases. First, group psychotherapy for medical patients is described. Second, selected clinical trials involving group psychotherapy are presented. Cancer, AIDS, coronary heart disease and arthritis are used as examples. Finally, the methodological challenges of evaluating this type of intervention are summarized. Implications of integrating group psychotherapy into standard medical care for patients' mental and physical health, physician-based care, and costs to the medical system are discussed.