The Importance of Group Psychotherapy in the Rehabilitation of War Survivors with Psychological Consequences

Aim: To demonstrate the importance of group psychotherapy in the rehabilitation of war survivors with psychological consequences. Method: The study involved 12 subjects (7 male and 5 female), with war psychological consequences. Assessment instrument used in this study was Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-53), containing 53 items divided in 9 subscales. Questionnaire ranging from 0 to 4 was used for assessing psychological symptoms. The subjects were assessed prior to the treatment, with six months follow-up. All subjects were treated with group psychotherapy. Sessions were organized weekly and lasted for one and half hour. Group was lead by two co-therapists, one male and one female. Working technique was supportive-expressive psychotherapy. Results: After six months of psychotherapy treatment of the group, BSI -53 questionnaire results show reduction in all psychopathological symptoms (p<0, 05). Conclusion: Group psychotherapy can be recommended as a technique in the psychotherapy of war related psychological consequences.