Abstract
Group psychotherapy for adults reporting childhood sexual abuse is a well recognised form of treatment but little attention has been given to the possible adverse effects. This paper reports on three patients seen within a NHS trust department of psychotherapy who had taken part in an incest ‘survivor group’. They described individual satisfaction with their improvement but appeared, when viewed externally, to have deteriorated.
Highlights
Group psychotherapy for adults reporting childhood sexual abuse is a well recognised form of treatment but little attention has been given to the possible adverse effects
Group psychotherapy is frequently used in the treatment of adults who give a history of child hood sexual abuse
Ganzarin & Buchete (1986) advocate a peer group as offering members the opportunity to explore the meaning of their experience with others who have suffered
Summary
Group psychotherapy for adults reporting childhood sexual abuse is a well recognised form of treatment but little attention has been given to the possible adverse effects. This paper reports on three patients seen within a NHS trust department of psychotherapy who had taken part in an incest 'survivor group'. They described individual satisfaction with their improvement but appeared, when viewed externally, to have deteriorated. Herman & Schatzow viewed this as evidence for the repression of sexual abuse 1995; Pope & Hudson, 1995) for failing to take account of infantile amnesia, unlikely or improbable scenarios, and the possibility of suggestion and contagion among group members These authors a'rregmueemtbheart' meavneyntsof tthoe gfirtoutpheimr emobwenrs acnadmethteo therapist's expectations of memory recovery and that peer group suggestion had played a key part. During the period October 1995 to March 1996 three adult patients were referred for treatment oinfcseesxt ua'sluravbivuosre. gEroaucph'. hTadwobeoefntheasemegmrobuepr s ofhaadn been run within the NHS and the third was a voluntary group and nothing is known of the training or credentials of the group leader
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