Adolescents' perceptions of process and specialty group therapy

Adolescents' perceptions of process group therapy and time-limited speciality group therapy were surveyed. Participants were 82 emotionally disturbed adolescent clients living in a residential treatment center who rated their perceptions of process and speciality group therapies. Ongoing process groups were rated as more helpful for relating to staff and peers, and speciality groups were considered more helpful for cognitive, social, and interpersonal skill development. Despite the findings that both types of group therapy were helpful in different ways, all participants (100%) preferred to deal with their problems in individual therapy. These findings challenge the popular notion that adolescents prefer group therapy to individual psychotherapy, suggesting a need to offer both individual and group therapies to optimized treatment.