Distress Severity During The Intake Week And Its Weekly Change In Psychosomatic In-Patient Treatment

Method: Patients of two psychodynamicoriented psychosomatic in-patient clinics filled out two questionnaires (Outcome Questionnaire, OQ-45" and ICD-10 Symptomrating, ISR") on a weekly basis during their stay. The scores of the questionnaires were used to assess the severity of distress during the intake week (week 0) and to evaluate its change in the following three weeks (week 1, week 2, week 3). Results: The majority of patients (58,1%-91,7%) showed dysfunctional scores on the scales of both questionnaires at week 0. Global psychological distress, global distress due to symptoms as well as interpersonal and social problems improved already at week 1 (p<0,05). Specific types of symptom distress however, improved at different rates: While depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms already improved at week 1 (p<0,05), symptoms typical for somatoform disorders improved first at week 3 (p<0,05). Symptoms of eating disorders and of obsessive-compulsive disorders did not change significantly between our four assessment points (p> 0,05).