Evaluation of a psychological treatment programme for climacteric women.

A psychological assessment and treatment programme designed for a group of climacteric women with severe and varied psychological complaints and symptoms is described and evaluated. All the women were currently experiencing stressful psychosocial difficulties within their life situation. The treatment programme comprised an educational, a counseling and a behavioural component. By the end of the sixth session of therapy, most women showed a significant improvement in their main complaint, accompanied by improvements in general symptoms and personal adjustment. Two-thirds considered that they had benefited substantially from treatment. The outcome of the treatment was considered to be encouraging in what might otherwise be considered a potentially unresponsive group of women.