Autonomous Groups in Human Relations Training for Psychiatric Patients

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Abstract
A Human Relations Training Program for psychiatric patients has been in operation at the VA Hospital, Houston, Texas, since May 1961. The instrumented program uses groups which meet without trainers or therapists for four weeks. The importance of the leaderless Development Groups is stressed as the major vehicle through which members examine and share their laboratory learnings about themselves and others. Contrasts are made between the more typical trainer-led groups and the autonomous groups relative to group dynamics, interpersonal behavior, process analysis, dilemma and invention, feedback, generalization, and application. The philosophy and goals of the program and the underlying learning strategy and daily work schedule are described in fairly specific terms. Critical issues such as dependency and need for personal contact are also examined, with discussion focusing on how such issues are handled in the autonomous group program. One study evaluating the training laboratory and comparing it with a more traditional type of group therapy program is cited. Four other pre-and post-laboratory evaluative studies are also described.

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