Narrative Group Therapy for Alcohol Dependent Patients

Abstract

A group therapy method was developed based on the results of previous research using narrative psychological approaches. Our primary technique was narrative restructuring. Alcohol addicted patients treated at our department were instructed to restructure their autobiography in a way that their linguistic expressions become more similar to those of recovering patients’. We presumed that it would have positive therapeutic effects, which could be measured with the Hopelessness Scale (HS) and the Means-Ends Problem Solving Procedure (MEPS). We recorded the tests before and after the group therapy sessions and the changes in results were compared (t-test) to those of control persons, who participated in other types of group therapy. We found significant difference between the case and control groups. Our therapeutic method reduced hopelessness and increased problem solving ability more effectively than other group therapies.