Brief Heterogeneous Inpatient Groups: A Process-Oriented Psychoeducational Model

Abstract

In the U.S., we currently have an increase in admissions to psychiatric hospitals and a lack of research exploring inpatient group psychotherapy. Diagnostically homogeneous therapy groups outperform therapy groups with mixed symptoms, however, due to managed health care, psychiatric hospitals typically run brief duration, diagnostically heterogeneous groups. A review of the research literature was conducted in order to locate empirical studies that could offer treatment recommendations regarding how to facilitate brief duration, diagnostically heterogeneous inpatient psychotherapy groups. Although this review revealed little information about this specific type of group, common factors from inpatient studies were extracted. Based on a synthesis of these studies, a cross-sectional, process-oriented psychoeducational treatment model is suggested