To evaluate the changes in perceived social support in patients treated due to neurotic and personality disorders with intensive group psychotherapy.

An analysis of structural and functional social support and personality descriptors evaluated at the beginning and at the end of intensive group psychotherapy has been performed in the group of 60 patients. Social support has been evaluated in terms of informative, emotional and instrumental aspects with the use of Berlin Social Support Scales and in terms of the structure and functional properties with the use of Bizoń’s method of social network and social support assessment. Personality descriptors have been obtained using Neurotic Personality Inventory KON-2006 and NEO-PI-R.

Results of this research support previous findings that successful psychotherapy (in terms of favorable changes in personality descriptors) alters the perceived structure and function of social support. Less populated social support networks become more effectively utilized. Individual members of the networks become perceived as providing social support in a wider range of functional properties. Moreover an overall increase in patients’ satisfaction with available social support has been observed.

Promising results of this study, that support previous findings, show the need for further research on the subject matter. Further analysis of relationship between changes in limited personality traits and particular aspects of social support will provide additional valuable data.