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Artiss, in a lucid report of a first-class piece of clinical research, describes the techniques, theory, and philosophy by which doctors, nurses, and aides learned to make effective psycho- and sociodynamic interventions in the pathological behavior of forty-two
schizophrenic men. This experiment took place in a ten-bed ward over a period of about three years.
The foreword by Bullard and the introduction by Rioch establish the historical and present-day significance of Artiss's study. The first four of the five chapters are essentially devoted to describing research and treatment methods. Clinical examples abstracted from massive amounts of data are abundantly used to illustrate both group and individual processes. The first chapter, describing the ward and the staff, elucidates the development of an integrated treatment team. The excruciating process of developing meaningful communication between doctor and ward staff is the keystone of such integration. Chapter two presents a description of the group therapy sessions in the ward as well as the attitudes of staff and patients toward group therapy. Patient behavior in group therapy was found to be predictive of ultimate outcome of illness on the basis of the extent of participation in group processes. The third chapter, dealing with experiences with patient government, further elucidates the tremendous impact ward group processes can have upon the acutely psychotic patient. Chapter four conceptualizes the therapeutic effect of the milieu in terms of support and setting of limits. The way these factors are individualized is documented by the detailed presentation of two very different patients. Most important is how data from the patient's history are used by the staff to understand the 'major message' of his psychopathology. When this understanding is applied to everyday interactions with the patient his psychopathology becomes less rewarding and he can begin to learn new social skills. Chapter five sh