Group as a Resource for Families of Persons with Psychological Disorders at Don Luigi di Liegro International Foundation

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the relationship between family association s, Mental Health Services and Non-Profit Organizations. Specifically, we present a case study of a group of relatives of persons with psychological disorders, in a Non-Profit organization in Rome. The research has the purpose to detect some components of the local culture, based on the exploration of the emotional symbolic dynamics during the group meetings, entirely recorded, processed through a text analysis, in order to identify and develop a new function of the group in this context. Findings from the data suggests a possible change in this group of family members- that concerns their representation of their relatives with psychological disorders and their demand to the institutions- and a relation with the cultural change of the Organization.