The contribution of parent group psychotherapy to the prevention and treatment of child psychiatric disorders
(Abstract)

Sigalas I.M., Trakaki T. and Karagiannis D.
Athens Child Mental Health Center - Greek Social Security Institute

Tetradia Psychiatrikis, No 72, Oct. – Nov. – Dec. 2000, p. 75 – 88.

It is well known that the supportive, consultive or psychotherapeutic work with parents, individually or in groups, is a necessary prerequisite for the effec-tive treatment of Child Psychiatric disorders. In this paper we present the organiza-tional and functional principles of parent group psychotherapy, as it is applied in Ath-ens Child Health Center of the Greek Social Security System, based on Systemic Approach. Also we give elements of the process of a specific group. Group psycho-therapy has a significant supportive impact to parents, but also it contributes to the cognitive and emotional differentiation of its members, which in turn influences the development of their parenting capabilities. If the group consists of couples of par-ents, it is possible for them to reconsider and work on problems of their marital rela-tionship. Thus, evolutionary processes are released in the family as a whole and, es-pecially in children, whose emotional development is promoted, free of dysfunctional alliances and triangulations with parents.