An experience of group psychotherapy in the Brazilian Family Health Program

Abstract

This article evaluated an experiment carried out at the Family Health Program with the establishment of a Mental Health Group, based on transactional analysis associated with the cognitive-behavioral therapy, describing the impact of this intervention in improving the quality of life of the population served by the public system. In the Cruz das Almas Health Basic Unit, from São Paulo City Hall, a group of Mental Health has been happening since January, 2007, with the frequency of once a week, during one hour. In it, participants discuss topics of interest and learn psychotherapy techniques to deal with daily events and to manage their emotions and behaviors in a constructive way. The group is open to all those interested in participating in therapy sessions, being constituted, in most cases, by patients followed by the Family Health Program teams and sent to the Mental Health Group. When patients join the group, they fill out a questionnaire known as Patient Health Questionnaire, Brazilian version, known by the acronym PHQ-9. After attending the group for at least 12 sessions, participants complete a self-assessment questionnaire, informing about feeling better on their health, improved self-esteem, and personal relationships, and about having a more positive view of life and of other people. Of the evaluated participants, 40 completed the questionnaire. From these, nine (22.5%) had scores of zero to four (without depression); six (15%) scored five to nine (mild depression); ten (25%) had scores from 10 to 14 (moderate depression); seven (17.5%) had a score of 15 to 19 (moderate to severe depression); and eight (20%) had scores of 20 or more (severe depression). Of the 65 patients who completed the questionnaire for self-evaluation after at least 12 sessions of therapy, 51 (78%) reported a more positive view of life and of other people; 44 (67%) reported improved self-esteem; 52 (80%) related improvement in relationships and 53 (81%) improvement in relation to their health. The improvement reported by patients in different areas of their lives points to the importance of this approach within the Family Health Strategy and the positive impact of psychotherapy based on transactional analysis associated with cognitive-behavioral techniques in treating patients with mental disorders within the Health Primary Attention.