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116
Group
psychotherapy
at
Bredinghurst
The following report was made jointly by the Headmaster of Bredinghurst and
the psychotherapist who undertook the group psychotherapy at the school:—
" We are of the opinion that the method we have used has served a very real
purpose and deserves further experiment.
It must be borne in mind that this method has been developed to suit " Bredinghurst
" where many of the boys are of low intelligence and where it is also possible
to observe and have contact with them outside the analytical situation.
The group method is of advantage where it is necessary to treat a large number
of children, and where the therapists' time is severely limited. The increase in
numbers dealt with is not so great as might at first be hoped since each child has
to be seen in private session at least once a week. Nevertheless since four or five
boys are taken together for an hour it has, in fact, meant that we have been able
to raise the number of children receiving treatment by 40 per cent.
As a result of the past year's work we have good reason to believe that certain
types of children who may not need, or who may have too low an Intelligence
Quotient to benefit from, deep analysis, may make a satisfactory adjustment through
the group alone. At the moment we have not felt justified in taking this risk with
any of the present children. It is wise, however, to bear in mind that there are
forces at work in the group which, if rightly used, may be sufficient for the cure of
many repressed and introverted children whose conflicts are comparatively near the
surface.
It has been for long realised that analyses are more difficult with children and
adults who have a low I.Q. A number of those whom we are at present treating have
I.Q.'s well below 90. Here the group is of great service. The child is able to respond
to the group situation more easily than he is able to assimilate material disclosed in
individual sessions with the therapist. We have, for instance, two of the present
group whose progress has been remarkable, and we are satisfied that had it not been
for this method of treatment their development would have been much slower. In
both cases the I.Q. is about 80. Further, the group serves to reveal specific conflicts
and tensions among the children and points thus observed can be taken up again
by the therapist when seeing the child alone. It is as though the child were able to
observe his own difficulties re-enacted and we have remarked upon the ability of
some of them to criticise their own behaviour in a way which shows genuine understanding
of their problems.
The group is of service in the solution of disorders of this nature and assists the
child in the development of new relationships and behaviour patterns. Within the
group the boy learns in a secure and protected situation the reasons lying behind
his conflicting feelings, releases repressed aggression and, with the assistance of the
group, experiments with new patterns which automatically include his relationship
with the other members.
One of the most useful functions of the group is that it gives ample opportunity
for getting rid of repressed emotion. The discussions and drama, plus the enactment
of infantile fantasies brings to the surface fears and anxieties. The ability
to give vent to these feelings within the safe milieu of the group is of great value
to the child, particularly to the repressed and introverted boy who has previously
been too afraid of his unconscious desires and now finds himself able to express them
without calling down the wrath of the adult world on his head.
Many children are incapable of satisfactory relationships with adults, but are
able, to a limited extent, to fit into a small group of children. They cannot understand
adult reasoning and are puzzled by rules and punishments previously meted
out to them. They are, however, prepared to accept rules of behaviour which they
themselves have helped to frame and gradually become conscious of belonging in a
unique way to a small group of which they are an integral part. They are aware