Group therapy as a treatment technique for severely disturbed outpatients

The outpatient psychia-ric department of a general hospital utilizes an economical four-day-a-week group program for severely disturbed patients who need intensive therapy but not hospitalization. The main treatment modality is group therapy four days a week; patients also have access to occupational therapy, vocational rehabilitation counseling, and community activities. Follow-up of 48 patients showed that 82 per cent felt they had improved. The author believes such a program can be offered as an economical alternative to a day hospital that is not feasible because of lack of space and staff.