Abstract
Group therapy has been used as an adjunct to medical treatment with a variety of physical illnesses and disabilities (see Table 2). The primary aim of this approach is to help the physically ill patient reduce feelings of anxiety and isolation, and increase their self-acceptance and self-esteem (Singler, 1977). This goal is accomplished by sharing feelings and ideas, and by exchanging information about their medical conditions and treatment. For example, stroke patients who participated in short-term therapy were primarily concerned with physical function, including mobility, driving, and doing housework. Psychological issues also surfaced, related to their care at the rehabilitation center, their expectations about their progress, and their reactions to the stroke (Bucher, Smith, & Gillespie, 1984).
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© 1989 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Backman, M.E. (1989). Group Therapy. In: The Psychology of the Physically Ill Patient. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0903-9_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0903-9_17
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0905-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0903-9
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