Am J Psychiatry 1987; 144:426-431
Copyright © 1987 by American Psychiatric Association
Patient attrition in dynamically oriented treatment groups
HB Roback and M Smith
Clinical and empirical studies of premature terminators from dynamically
oriented therapy groups are reviewed. While many studies focus on the
personality characteristics of dropouts, the authors recommend
conceptualizing such patients in terms of the interaction of patient,
group, and therapist. On the basis of this model, the authors offer
clinical recommendations for reducing the number of dropouts. Multivariate
experimental designs for studying attrition in group psychotherapy are
discussed, and the authors suggest possible directions for future research.
