ABSTRACT
With the increase of elderly patients in psychosomatic clinics the question arise, what about the motivation and expectations of these patients. Here an empirical study is presented, where 189 elderly (55 years and over) and 190 younger (under 55 years) patients are included. They are analysed with different questionnaires. The elderly patients show less psychosocial attribution for their disease, less motivation and expectation for psychotherapy and a more negative accentuated attitude to psychotherapy. But the expectations especially of the elderly differ in a wide range. In a clusteranalysis three groups are separated: low, middle and high motivated patients. The older patients are over represented in the group of the low motivated patients. These older patients doesn't occure any recovery of symptoms. At last some clinical aspects, concerning this group, are discussed.
