Abstract
Trough 10years of experience in group therapy at the Chofu City General Welfare Center, we prepared criteria for an original psychosocial assessment form. Here its reliability is examined. The form consists of five categories including attitude in participation, interpersonal consciousness, emotion, self-perception and acceptance of disability, plus 15 subcategories.
First, 17 chronically aphasic persons participating in our group therapy were evaluated using this assessment form. Second, we analyzed the relation between duration of group therapy experience and degree of success at achieving good levels. Also patterns of assessment profiles were examined carefully. The results were as follows. (1) Psychosocial problems of aphasic persons such as reduction in self-esteem, resistance against self-disclosure, adherence to disability, and stubbornness were clearly observed. (2) These problems were noticeably demonstrated by severe aphasic persons and those attending group therapy less than two years, but the tendency that longer group experience reduced difficulties was also observed. (3) In view of our study, this assessment form is useful for the following : detecting individual psychosocial situations and changes during group therapy ; establishing understanding and consensus on each client's problems among staff ; evaluating the effectiveness of group therapy easily.
