The experience of public service users with group psychotherapy:: a qualitative study

Objective To assess the experience of public service users in a time-limited psychotherapeutic group dynamic intervention. Methods Eleven patients were randomly selected from a group of 52 who had participated in an efficacy study and were interviewed in-depth. Their account was submitted to content analysis, according to the Grounded Theory methodology. Results In general, patients accepted well and positively evaluated the psychotherapy intervention. The main findings were the importance of patient interaction with the group participants, and their therapeutic course after the intervention, when most of them carried on with psychotherapy. Conclusions The psychotherapeutic intervention was well accepted among the patients, had a favorable outcome and stimulated them to proceed with psychotherapy.