Trauma in the family: groupwork on family awareness for men in high security hospital

✍ Scribed by Estelle Moore; Anna Manners; Jessica Lee; Marie Quayle; Eric Wilkinson

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 488 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0957-9664
• DOI: 10.1002/cbm.363

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Introduction

It is typically considered important in clinical practice to generate an understanding of the relationships and consequences of interaction patterns within the families of patients with serious interpersonal difficulties and histories of violent offending.

Method

Eight men on a dedicated treatment unit for patients with personality disturbance within a maximum security hospital participated in structured groupwork which focused on family awareness.

Results

Two measures of outcome were employed: their recollections of family life were assessed before and after the intervention, and their general progress in rehabilitation was followed up 12 months later. Summary scores of the participants' recall of feelings associated with familial figures indicate that the group reported changes in their feelings over the eight‐month period. For the duration of the group, and during the subsequent year, the group members remained on the same ward; two had been transferred to medium security at follow‐up.

Discussion

The inherent bias and the small numbers in the group prevent generalization. However, it seems that patients who participated in group work are likely to remain on the ward studied or be moved to lower security. The recollection and sharing experiences of family life may have reduced the patients' sense of isolation. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd.