[Adolescent psychiatric aspects of visual handicap and blindness]. / Jugendpsychiatrische Aspekte von Sehbehinderung und Blindheit.

The focus of the study was a questionnaire-based overview concerning psychiatric symptoms, self image, control beliefs and some aspects of family relations of severely visually impaired and blind adolescents and young adults. The high incidence of emotional and social problems seemed to be equal to that of a clinical sample, competence and control beliefs differed between impaired und unimpaired adolescents as well as between visually impaired und blind adolescents. Self-perceptions of bonding- vs. detachment behaviour from the viewpoint of the blind adolescents appeared somewhat "surer", nearer to the ratings of the unimpaired peers. The ratings of the visually impaired peers however seem to express more "uncertainties" in both main directions, bonding as well as detachment behaviour. Concerning global self image there seemed to exist no significant difference between our whole sample and unimpaired peers.

[Improving medical students' interactive competence]. / Förderung interaktioneller Kompetenzen von Medizinstudierenden - Entwicklung, Erprobung und Evaluation eines Curriculums für den Psychosomatikunterricht -

We report a new curriculum for improving medical students' interactive competence. The curriculum is based on the method of "psychotherapeutic plan analysis" by F. Caspar in combination with elements of systemic supervision and problem-based learning. For evaluation, participants (fifth year medical students, n = 50) were asked to fill in a questionnaire adapted to the contents of the course. Comparison was made possible by a control group (n = 72) teached in a traditional manner. Evaluation showed significant improvement of the students' self awareness, perception of their patients and sensibility for patients' needs. The students expanded their capability to reflect own actions and to work in teams. Initially expressed anxiety concerning contact with patients was reduced significantly during the course. In three and twelve months follow-ups, students still considered their personal achievement to be significantly high. Participants of the curriculum rated their courses higher with regard to didactic issues, improvement of interactive competences and personal relevance, while control courses were seen to be more relevant to prepare for exams.