Therapeutic effects of problem-solving training and play-reading groups

Twenty-five adult patients of a private psychiatric hospital participated in small groups that convened for eight sessions in order to increase skills in interpersonal problem solving. The groups repeatedly went through the steps of (a) bringing up a problem; (b) clarifying it; (c) proposing solutions; and(d) weighing the solutions. A control grop of 29 patients did not receive problem-solving training. A "placebo" sample of 21 Ss also met in small groups, but their task was to read comedies together. The results obtained through a series of analyses of covariance showed that the experimental condition was more successful than the other two in improving people's impulse control, self-esteem and feeling of competence. The play-reading condition was found to be as helpful as the problem-solving groups in reducing depression and general psychopathology. Control patients showed significantly less improvement than did patients in the other conditions.