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This monograph has been published for the British Institute of Social Psychiatry. Bierer has been active in this work in England since 1938. The work had a mental hospital origin which has grown out into the
world. The articles are by various authors in the field and they compile a tremendous amount of practical and theoretical material in a relatively short space which they correctly call a ‘provisional handbook.’ E. B. Strauss refers to the Adlerian psychology which considers man as a social animal. Bierer makes a survey of Social Club Therapy, and shows the difficulty of originating the clubs. The best solution seems to let the patients be in full charge and to carry the responsibility. Getting the patients to accept the responsibility is solved by ‘situational treatment’ when insight is replaced by experience and fulfillment. In most clubs, friends and relatives may become members. Paul Senft shows that social clubs differ radically in three basic points from other group-therapeutic units; they differ in type of action, effect, and relationship and structure. The organizer and head of the club does not remain the center and terminus of action, form and content of action rest with the members, and the psychological effect is circular. These are action groups with direct expression of reality, rather than abreaction groups with preparation for reality. Donald Blair writes of formation and organization of Therapeutic Social Clubs. He divides them into in-patient clubs and out-patient clubs. A club should consist of not less than 10-15 members and not more than 40-50 members. Each club functions under the guidance of a psychiatrist who regularly attends the club meetings; the psychiatrist should be a person who mixes readily with people. The organization is described in some detail. Kathleen M. Thompson describes an In-Patient Club. M. B. Brody describes Out-Patient Clubs. Karl Aron describes social club therapy in the treatment of the Mental Hospital Patient. E.