Grupos terapéuticos para adolescentes: una propuesta de abordaje para las conductas de riesgo.

Abstract

This paper presents a group experience with ten adolescents from the Central Highlands, between the ages of 12-18, presented with the purpose of reducing risky behaviors via the implementation of group psychotherapy. Twelve sessions of psychotherapy were conducted with two 90-minute appointments per week. The intervention was focused on building the Group Therapeutic Factors proposed by Yalom to strengthen group psychotherapy, reduce risky behaviors, and develop productive coping strategies in the group of participants. A subsequent assessment was performed on the therapeutic group using Yalom’s Group Evaluation Scale adapted by Zukerfeld and the Adolescent Coping Scale from Frydenberg and Lewis. Lastly, a qualitative analysis was carried out based on the obtained results, and it was noted that the Group Therapeutic Factors, especially those corresponding to the Principle of Resemblance, were useful during the therapeutic process. This allowed for developing productive coping strategies and thus reduced risky behaviors. It is therefore believed that utilizing group psychotherapeutic devices is highly beneficial to the participants as it enables achieving the psychotherapeutic objectives, provides the opportunity of expressing genuine emotions and problems, helps with the construction of proper support networks, and enables working with a higher number of persons in less time.