Self-disclosure in group therapy with schizophrenics

Self-disclosure was investigated as a process variable in group psychotherapy with chronic schizophrenic patients. Consistent with previous data obtained from nonpsychotic populations, greater perceived therapist interpersonal facillitativeness was associated with higher levels of patient self-disclosure. In contrast to earlier findings, however, patients who were more self-revealing made less therapeutic progress than their counterparts who divulged less personal material. This failure to replicate was tentatively attributed to the limited ability of psychotic persons to integrate social feedback. The results underscore the delicacy of the psychotherapeutic undertaking with schizophrenics.