[Does improvement of symptoms four weeks after the begin of psychodynamic inpatient psychotherapy correspond to long term outcome?].
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to explore differentiated aspects of outcome throughout and one year after psychodynamic inpatient psychotherapy with special regard to symptomatic distress and interpersonal behaviour.


METHODS
Sixty-four patients of the Department of Psychotherapeutic Medicine of the Jerichow Hospital (Saxonia-Anhaltina) were investigated with the SCL-90-R and the IIP-D four times: at the beginning of inpatient psychotherapy (t0), four weeks after (t1), at the end (t2), and one year after discharge (t3).


RESULTS
The improvement of symptoms four weeks after the beginning of psychodynamic inpatient psychotherapy is equivalent with long term outcome. The Global Severity Index of SCL-90-R demonstrated a statistically significant change from markedly psychological distress to lack of distress after four weeks psychodynamic inpatient psychotherapy (effect-size d(GSI) = 0.82). At the end of psychotherapy, three weeks later, the effect-size was d = 1.11, and one year after discharge the effect-size decreased again to d = 0.85. Major improvements demonstrated the SCL-90-R subscales Depression, Anxiety, and Obsessive/Compulsive. Regarding interpersonal problems, the subscales Dominance, and Competitive demonstrated statistically significant changes from low Stanine-scores at t0 to higher scores one year after discharge. The subscales Socially avoidant, Nonassertive, and Exploitable demonstrated statistical significant changes from high levels at t0 to lower scores after one year.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion the first four weeks of psychodynamic psychotherapy are not sufficient to demonstrate an optimum level of low psychological distress as well as an optimum change in interpersonal problems. Regarding stability of the effects of psychodynamic inpatient psychotherapy it was demonstrated that the first four weeks initiated changes which improved at the end of psychotherapy until one year after discharge.
Franke
Gabriele Helga
GH
Rehabilitation Psychology Program, University Magdeburg-Stendal, Osterburgerstrasse 35, D-39576 Stendal, Germany. gabriele.franke@stendal.hs-magdeburg.de
Hoffmann
Thilo
T
Frommer
Jörg
J
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001143:Arousal; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D013223:Statistics as Topic