Atopic dermatitis, attachment and partnership: a psychodermatological case-control study of adult patients.

Adult patients with atopic dermatitis were examined from a psychodermatological perspective with respect to attachment attitudes and satisfaction with partnerships. In addition, the correlation between these variables and skin symptoms, as well as the skin-specific quality of life, was also studied. A total of 62 adult patients with atopic dermatitis were compared with a parallel control group with healthy skin (n = 62). There were significant correlations between the patients' attachment characteristics on the one hand and the detriment to skin-specific quality of life on the other. In contrast, partnership satisfaction was not as severely impaired as expected; however, it showed significant correlations with attachment attitudes.

Long-term outcomes of short-term and long-term psychosomatic inpatient treatment and their predictors.

OBJECTIVES: The Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Giessen, Germany, offers short-term (STT) and long-term inpatient therapy (LTT). METHODS: In a prospective, 3-year follow-up study, we examined therapeutic indication, short- and long-term results, outcome predictors, and the utilization of aftercare for both settings. RESULTS: STT patients were more frequently acutely ill, suffered from stronger symptomatic manifestations, and were more frequently employed. LTT patients had a greater rate of chronic psychosomatic disorders, personality disorders and somatic comorbidity. In both settings, distress strongly declined during inpatient therapy and remained stable for 3 years. Negative predictors of outcome were infantile object relation patterns and interpersonal problems. We found no differences between STT and LTT patients in terms of the utilization of aftercare. CONCLUSION: Duration of psychosomatic inpatient treatment should be differentiated according to the chronicity and nature of the disorder.

[Short-term and long-term inpatient psychotherapy -- indications, results, predictors]. / Stationäre Kurz- und Langzeitpsychotherapie -- Indikationen, Ergebnisse, Prädiktoren.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated differences between patients in both short-term and long-term inpatient psychotherapy. Results for both settings as well as predictors of treatment outcomes were determined. METHODS: Consecutive patients of the Giessen University Clinic for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, who were treated during a two-year period in both short- and long-term treatment settings, were studied prospectively (N = 166; return-rate 70 %). Standardized questionnaires were applied for distress (SCL-90 R), physical complaints (GBB 24) and interpersonal problems (IIP-D) as well as for object relationships (IPO). RESULTS: In concordance with treatment concepts, patients in short-term psychotherapy had a more acute onset of symptoms, were more highly distressed and better occupationally integrated; patients in long-term treatment suffered more frequently from chronic psychosomatic disorders, personality disorders and comorbid somatic conditions. In both treatment settings distress and physical complaints decreased considerably and remained quite stable during follow-up. Concurring predictors of outcome were more adaptive patterns of object and interpersonal relationships as well as social resources. No differences were seen between the short-term and long-term treatment for utilization of ambulatory psychotherapy after discharge. DISCUSSION: The study shows that a differentiation between short- and long-term treatments, even within one psychosomatic hospital unit, allows for differential indication and treatment concepts.