Am J Psychiatry 1978; 135:1492-1495
Copyright © 1978 by American Psychiatric Association
The group psychotherapy dropout phenomenon revisited
LM Lothstein
In this two-year study, patients referred for group therapy were
extensively screened and carefully prepared for the therapy. In spite of
this effort there was a 29% dorpout rate after group therapy began. All of
the therapists reported that they disliked the patients who dropped out,
and many of these patients were seen as hostile toward the therapists. The
author suggests that for many groups the dropout phenomenom may be basic to
the establishment of group cohesiveness and that instead of trying to
prevent or reduce the dropout phenomenon, efforts should be directed toward
reconceptualizing the more positive aspects of it.
