Group modification of affective verbalizations in a psychiatric population

An operant group procedure significantly increased the frequency of here-and-now affect, feedback and empathy statements made by psychiatric patients when compared with non-reinforced patients and with base-line performances. Transfer effects were also noted when randomly selected patients from these original groups were 'seeded' into new groups during a non-reinforced session one week after training. Self-disclosure, measured by a modification of Jourard's scale, showed pre-post increases, but the expected interaction with reinforcement was non-significant (P less than 0.20). Scores on the Mooney Problem Check List were unaffected by the procedures. No apparent problem resulted from the absence of a therapist during the group process and it was concluded that the operant group procedures may prove useful both as an adjunct to and as preparation for other therapeutic methods.