A preparatory interview for the neophyte group therapist.

On the premiss that an important aim of the initial phase of supervision of the neophyte group psychotherapist is to convert a new and threatening situation into an old and familiar one, the function of a preparatory interview--whose focus was the therapist's set of expectations about his impending experience of leading a group--was examined. The findings of a series of 26 interviews point to the need for a systematic controlled study to test the effects of a preparatory interview of the trainee therapist on group process and leadership behaviour.