Psychotherapy in a day clinic: results of a 1.5 year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
In a prospective, naturalistic 1.5 year follow-up study of N= 114 consecutively admitted day clinic patients efficacy of the program and predictors of outcome are evaluated.


METHODS
Patients had severe neurotic disturbances and personality disorders. Interviews and questionnaires (SCL-90-R, EDI) were used for evaluation at admission, discharge and follow-up.


RESULTS
From 79.8% of the patients information could be obtained. In the main diagnostic categories between 30 to 50% of the patients showed complete remissions at follow-up. Patients at least kept improvements at follow-up. The rating of the "transition phase" after discharge was predictive for outcome. The group of patients that rated this phase as difficult showed higher levels of psychopathology at admission.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible to treat severely disturbed patients in a psychotherapeutic day clinic with good and lasting effects. A more disturbed group of patients needs special help to cope with the transition into the outpatient situation.
Zeeck
Almut
A
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Germany. zeeck@psysom.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
Hartmann
Armin
A
Kuhn
Klaus
K
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome