GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING

Abstract

Few students with psychosomatic complaints have been referred for psychiatric consultation by the Minneapolis Public School system. This can probably be explained by the fact that children with such symptoms are not unusual behavior problems in the classroom, although they are frequently absent from school. Furthermore, these symptoms are commonly thought to be of physical rather than emotional origin. A large number of students who have psychosomatic complaints also underachieve academically. We thought it would be interesting to work with these students in the school setting, using a group therapy approach. Igersheimer ( 2), on his review of the literature of the use of a group approach to psychosomatic problems, states that there are only isolated reports but the results are generally favorable. However, none of his reports include groups of children. The aims of our group therapy program were to decrease absenteeism and to improve academic performance. Most therapy groups recorded in the literature deal with delinquent adolescents referred by the school to social agencies or medical settings. We were confronted here with the problem of treating a medical symptom in a school setting. Minnesota State legislation of 1957 and 1959 defines the emotionally disturbed as handicapped children for whom the schools have responsibility (3, p. 6). On this basis permission was granted by the Superintendent of Schools to conduct a group program on a research basis.