Effective Communication in Adolescent Group Psychotherapy

Abstract

Effective communication in the context of this presentation is meant to be the intellectual and emotional dialogues verbal and non-verbal amongst peers and therapist that are reciprocally understood, accepted, and that lead to better coping behaviour on the part of the disturbed adolescent. Much ‘talk’, explanation and interpretation that may appear particularly wise from the therapist’s point of view, may be ineffective if it does not correspond to the needs of young members in the group, i.e. if the communication does not penetrate and touch the core of the problem. In the long run one judges the effectiveness of the therapy communication by the attendance/or lack of it/, the gradual building of group cohesion and loyalty and changes in the group members that generalize the home, school, friends, and community.