Group therapy and changes in the self-concept of alcoholics.

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Abstract
When free of withdrawal symptoms after entering a 90-day Veterans Administration Hospital rehabilitation program, 2 groups of patients, roughly comparable demographically, socially and psychologically, were given the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS). Testing was repeated at least 60 days later. Between tests Group I (35 men, meeting in separate sessions of about 18 men each) received an eclectic, open-group type of therapy; Group II (127 men, meeting in sessions of about 16 men each) had encounter therapy in groups closed to new entrants. The pretherapy and posttherapy scores of Group I were, respectively, 35.5 and 38.7; the corresponding Group II scores were 36.1 and 42.9. Significant gains in self-concept (P < .05) were made by 26% of Group I and 47% of Group II, while 11 and 10% decreased in self-concept, and 63 and 43% showed no change. The Group II therapy thus produced the most improvement in the alcoholics'' self-concept. The patients in Group II might have been slightly favored because of the smaller size of the closed-group sessions; these groups started out with 16 but usually ended with 10 participants.

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