Wie effektiv sind systematische Rückmeldungen des Therapieverlaufs an den Therapeuten? Eine empirische Studie in einem stationär-verhaltenstherapeutischen Setting

Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die systematische Rückmeldung des Therapieverlaufs an den Therapeuten erwies sich in mehreren Studien an ambulant behandelten, überwiegend gering beeinträchtigten Patienten als effektives Mittel, um die Wirksamkeit psychotherapeutischer Behandlungen für potenziell problematische Patienten zu steigern. Fragestellung: Lassen sich diese Befunde auch in einem stationär-verhaltenstherapeutischen Setting replizieren und inwieweit sind sie wirklich auf misserfolgsgefährdete Patienten beschränkt? Methode: In einem randomisierten Gruppenvergleich (N = 118) erhielt die Hälfte der Therapeuten ein systematisches Feedback über den Therapieverlauf. Ergebnisse: Die Patienten in der Feedback-Bedingung verbesserten sich bei allen untersuchten Therapieerfolgsmaßen stärker als die Patienten der Kontrollgruppe. Schlussfolgerung: Ein systematisches Feedback des Therapieverlaufs an den Therapeuten führt zu einer Verbesserung der Effektivität stationär-verhaltenstherapeutischer Behandlungen. Zukünftige Forschung sollte nach Wegen suchen, die monetären und psychologischen Kosten von Feedbacksystemen zu reduzieren, um deren Einsatz in Settings der Routineversorgung zu erleichtern.

Inkonsistenz und psychische Gesundheit: eine Metaanalyse

Consistency within the psychological processes is accepted as a precondition for efficient functioning and good health. Inconsistency in contrast impairs meeting the requirements of environment and therefore impairs the satisfaction of human needs. It is also seen as a stressor and having the potential to increase the vulnerability for mental disorders (Grawe, 1998, 2004). Incongruence is a form of Inconsistency, describing the divergency between the perception of reality and the goals of a person. Discordance as a second form of Inconsistency is the amount of conflict between goals, wishes and motives. According to the Consistency Theory of Grawe, these two forms of Inconsistency together with avoidance goals and satisfaction of human needs play an important role at the emergence and the maintenance of mental disorders, as well as for the wellbeing of humans. This study includes a short overview of the conceptions of Inconsistency in the psychological literature and a metaanalysis about the interrelations between forms of Inconsistency and characteristics of health and disease. The results support mostly the assumptions of Consistency Theory. Almost all forms of Inconsistency are associated with characteristics of subjective wellbeing, health and disease. One has to take into consideration, that most of the results come from correlational studies with only one measuring time. It is therefore not possible to distinguish between cause and effect.

[Evaluation of the "Schema-focused Emotive Behavioural Therapy" (SET) for Patients with Personality Disorders: Results of a Randomised Controlled Trial.]

The "Schema-focussed Emotive Behavioral Therapy" (SET) was developed by our research group as a new group therapy approach for patients with personality disorders from all clusters (A to C; DSM-IV). It was evaluated in a randomised controlled study (n = 93). Data were collected before and after treatment as well as one year after study entry. A completer analysis was conducted with matched subgroups (n = 60). After therapy, SET patients improved in the outcome domains interactional behavior, strain, and symptomatic complaints (IIP-D, GAF, VEV-VW, BSI-P). Furthermore, they showed a significant lower dropout rate. At the follow-up assessment, Cluster C patients of the experimental group deteriorated with regard to symptomatic complaints (BSI-P). In contrast, cluster B patients improved more over time compared to control subjects. SET seems to be an adequate and effective group therapy with effects that seem to be stable over time, especially for patients with Cluster B diagnosis.