Not effective and harmful.
1. Client is verbally abused and humiliated by therapist or members of a group
2. Psychological damage occurred in 9.1% of students who used the therapy
3. Drinking increased in clients
4. Half of participants benefited, half of participants felt the same or worse
Lieberman M., Yalom I., Miles M., Encounter Groups: First Facts, Basic Books, 1973, p. 170-174.
How To Therapy 