Symbiosebehandling i voksenpsykiatrien Kombinerte familie- og individuelle opplegg en forutsetning for en løsning?

Abstract

At our outpatient clinic young unmarried patients have been treated mainly individually in the social psychiatry tradition; this has helped them to master their daily functions in education and at work. Despite years of individual handling, some with depressive symptoms bordering on schizophrenia have gradually deteriorated. Some have sought their way back to their original homes from their own apartments. Their symbiotic family lifestyle has been less examined or challenged.Our new offer in 1979 was: Multifamily group treatment for 3 years together with an activating group and dance therapy for 2 years. The individual therapists were requested to join the group supervision sessions. A psychologist-researcher followed the project with family Rorschach, SCL90 (self-rating scheme) and global scale.The multifamily group was attended by a 3 son- and 1 daughter-family. Problems centered to communication were striking from the first minutes (with few constructive strategies). Their daily life and the «here and now» situations were commented in a positive way. The problems for the patients between being active or activating were striking.The patients were periodically more aggressive and depressed and needed more regularity, depth and understanding in their individual sessions than they had received before.Two of the SCL90 schemes showed some improvements during the 3 years of approach. Four of the patients have since improved socially, educationally and at work.