Therapeutic factors and insight in group therapy for outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to discover the most important group therapeutic factors in group psychotherapy with patients diagnosed with “schizophrenia”, according to Yalom's Q‐sort questionnaire, and to determine if these factors were related to insight.

Method: Seventeen patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who came to weekly outpatient group therapy were evaluated. In addition to a sociodemographic questionnaire, a psychopathology scale (BPRS), the global assessment of functioning scale (GAF), insight scales (SAI‐E and Camarillo) and the Yalom Q‐sort questionnaire were administered.

Results: The patients self‐rated “instillation of hope” as the most valuable therapeutic factor and identification as the least.

The insight level of the patients was positively correlated with the self‐rated “self‐understanding” value within the group therapy factors.

A reciprocal relationship was found between insight and the group therapeutic factor of self‐understanding. As the patients acquired better clinical insight, they gave greater importance to self‐understanding as a group therapy factor.

Conclusion: This greater acknowledgement of the value of self‐knowledge increased their possibilities of acquiring even better clinical insight.

Keywords:

• schizophrenia
• therapeutic factors
• insight
• group psychotherapy