Group Composition and Its Impact on Effective Group Treatment of HIV and AIDS Patients

Author(s)

Margaret J. Siebert
William I. Dorfman, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1995

Publication Title

Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities

Volume

7

Issue/Number

4

First Page

317

ISSN

1056-263X

Last Page

334

Abstract/Excerpt

This paper reviews the literature on group therapy in the treatment of people with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and people with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Specifically, it examines the effect of group composition on the curative factors of group therapy. The variables of group composition explored are stage of illness, risk group for contracting HIV, and gender. This paper suggests that support groups that are homogeneous for stage of illness, risk behaviors, and gender provide members with the greatest benefits through facilitating the curative factors of group therapy: instillation of hope, universality, and group cohesion.

DOI

10.1007/BF02578434

NSUWorks Citation

Siebert, M. J., Dorfman, W. I. (1995). Group Composition and Its Impact on Effective Group Treatment of HIV and AIDS Patients. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 7(4), 317-334.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/657