THE GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY MOVEMENT AND J. L. MORENO, ITS PIONEER AND FOUNDER

Abstract

The question has been raised as to who is the pioneer of group psychotherapy. I tried to explore this ten years ago (1948). I then regarded Pratt and Morena as the two earliest pioneers. But since I wrote my historical analysis of "Group Psychotherapy in the U.S.A." (Sociatry, Journal of Group and Intergroup Therapy, Vol. II, 1948, Bibi. No. 48112) the research into its origins has made great progress. Recent study of Pratt'searly work (1905-30) makes clear that it was neither psychotherapy nor group psychotherapy. As the picture looks now Pratt's contribution is marginal and Moreno emerges as the foremost pioneer.