Gruppenpsychotherapie mit älteren Menschen

As a treatment modality, group psychotherapy can create additional treatment capacity for the psychotherapeutically underserved group of older patients. The evidence to date in the form of individual studies and systematic reviews indicates that group therapy is effective. The focus of research up until now consisted of the treatment of depression in older people in a group setting. Meeting other older patients who are in the same phase of life and are also confronted with the challenges of ageing can promote a positive age identity. In addition, group participants can learn a more adaptive way of dealing with the typical challenges of ageing. Group formats can also help to strengthen the already often positive generational identity. One challenge is that emotional contagion and flooding can occur more quickly, and the theory of mind ability decreases with age. As practical support, clinicians can draw on the Ageing Wisely treatment manual, which has demonstrated good efficacy and superiority over active control groups in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms in older adults in several studies. Future research should also address the question of whether and how virtual group therapies can be an effective and acceptable intervention for (mobility-impaired) older people.