This article reviews traditional psychodynamic views of "listening" to the manifest and latent content of the patient's communication. It then reviews the literature on the application of such "listening" in group treatment. The particular application of such listening and intervention in groups for adolescents with significant ego deficits is explored.This article discusses a technique for both listening and intervention in psychodynamically based group treatment with seriously disturbed adolescents. These adolescents, especially early in group life, will often communicate in an unconscious or preconscious code, which may be easily mistaken for irrelevant chatter or resistance to treatment. While this ~'chatter" is part of the process of most groups, it serves an especially vital function in adolescent groups, and requires the special sustained attention of the therapist.The concepts and interventions discussed in this paper are not new to the psychodynamically oriented group therapist. However, they are generally not associated with the group treatment of significantly ego-impaired adolescents. This paper will explore the special value of these strategies for such adolescents, and especially for those who lack the social and language skills to use language effectively to mediate affect and develop relationships.The discussion is based on the authors' work with adolescent groups in day treatment and "alternative" school settings. In general, these groups consisted of youths with significant behavioral problems, notable deficits in social and verbal skills, limited capacity to inhibit impulses or to tolerate dysphoric affect and impaired object ,relations. Many had associated learning and perceptual deficits. Most were initially resistant and nonacculturated to treatment. LISTENING ~'Listening" occupies an important place in the literature on psychodynamic psychotherapy. It is a concept enriched and enlivened by the clinician's awareness that this apparently simple act has elaborate application in clinical work.
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