Feminist therapy with chronically and profoundly disturbed women

28 18-55 yr old females judged to be either high risk, chronic, or potentially chronic with regard to psychiatric illness by staff at a community mental health center were assigned to a women's awareness (WA) group and tested. While they waited for the WA group to begin, they participated in an "adult daycare" program for a mean of 8.7 wks. The WA groups lasted 14-26 wks, before and after which Ss were again tested. Significant improvement in self-esteem, as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, and significant increase in sexual knowledge, as measured by a sexual information questionnaire, were produced for Ss in the feminist therapy groups. No changes were produced on the Attitudes Toward Women Scale. No effects were noted for Ss in the control comparison on any of the measures. Results are compared with other findings on the effects of feminist therapy. It is concluded that feminist therapy can be effective for women from the chronically and profoundly disturbed population. (36 ref)