Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:1290-1294
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
Patients' perceptions of the therapeutic relationship and group therapy outcome
AL Gurman and JP Gustafson
The authors review the empirical literature examining the hypothesized
relationship between the patient's perception of the therapeutic
relationship and treatment outcome in group therapy and describe studies of
both inpatient and outpatient group therapy. Their review indicates that,
in contrast to the overwhelming evidence in support of the perceived
relationship-outcome hypothesis in individual psychotherapy, there is no
persuasive evidence in favor of the proposed relationship between the
therapist-patient relationship and the efficacy of group treatment. The
authors discuss the clinical and theoretical differences between individual
and group therapy that would contribute to this result.
