Prevalence of suicidal ideation in German psychotherapy outpatients: A large multicenter assessment.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation is a major concern in clinical practice. Yet, little is known about prevalence rates of suicidal ideation in patients undergoing outpatient psychotherapeutic treatment. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess the prevalence of suicidal ideation in a large sample of psychotherapy outpatients in Germany. The data analyzed in this study is taken from the KODAP-project on the coordination of data collection and analysis at German university-based research and training outpatient clinics for psychotherapy. METHODS: A total of N = 10,357 adult outpatients (64.4 % female; age: M(SD) = 35.94 (13.54), range: 18-92 years of age) starting cognitive-behavioral therapy at one of 27 outpatient clinics in Germany were included in the current study. Prevalence of suicidal ideation was assessed with the Suicide Item (Item 9) of the Beck-Depression Inventory II. RESULTS: Suicidal ideation was reported by 36.7 % (n = 3795) of the participants. Borderline Personality Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and recurrent Major Depression were the diagnoses most strongly associated with the presence and severity of suicidal ideation. LIMITATION: Suicide ideation was assessed only with the respective item of the Beck Depression Inventory II. CONCLUSION: Suicidal ideation is very common among adult patients who start psychotherapy in Germany. A well-founded knowledge of risk assessment in suicidal patients and suicide-specific treatment options is therefore highly relevant.

Depressive primary care patients' assessment of received collaborative care.

The "Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care" (PACIC) is a tool for evaluating outpatient health service for patients with chronic diseases. Our aim was to analyze the association between PACIC scores of primary care patients with depression and patients' or patients' general practitioners' (GPs) characteristics. In a data set including depressive primary care patients (N = 280) the association of patient characteristics (sex, age, depressive symptom severity, suicidal ideation) with PACIC scores were assessed by linear regression models. The association between GPs' characteristics (type, location of practice; age, qualification of practitioner) and PACIC scores was assessed by linear mixed models with individual practices as random effects. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores at 12 months follow up and changes in PHQ-9 scores from baseline to follow up were significantly positive associated with higher PACIC scores (beta = 0.67, 95%-CI [0.02, 1.34]). PACIC scores were not associated with patients' sex (p = 0.473) or age (p = 0.531). GP's age was negatively associated with PACIC scores (p = 0.03). In conclusion, in patients with depression, the PACIC is independent from patients' and GPs' characteristics. The PACIC may be appropriate to assess patient-perspective on depression services in primary care.

Costs and benefits of self-efficacy: Differences of the stress response and clinical implications.

Encounters with stressors induce diverse idiosyncratic neuroendocrine, behavioral and psychological reactions across people. Perceived self-efficacy can alter autonomic responses and their effects on mental health. The beneficial effects of self-efficacy in buffering physiological arousal, enhancing performance, and diminishing psychopathological symptoms have been observed in diverse contexts. We show that the role of self-efficacy is not uniformly beneficial, and that higher levels of self-efficacy can sometimes lead to increases in neuroendocrine and psychological stress responses and decreases in performance, a phenomenon that has been widely neglected. We discuss specific conditions under which self-efficacy effects do not uniformly ameliorate or prevent the consequences of stress. These conditions suggest that therapeutic interventions need not always promote self-efficacy in principal. Simultaneously, they to do suggest that keeping self-efficacy high might be disadvantageous or detrimental.

[Validity of diagnoses of mental disorders by primary care physicians]. / Validität von Krankenscheindiagnosen psychischer Störungen.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Even in young adult age, psychological disorders are highly prevalent. Family doctors and gynaecologists are the physicians most often consulted by young women. Hence, they have a special responsibility to diagnose psychiatric disorders and--if necessary--to refer to a specialist. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a prospective epidemiological study, 342 young women (between 18 and 25 years of age) were questioned two times with a structured interview (F-DIPS) designed for mental disorders. In the time period (1997 and 1998), we also investigated, by analysing personal health insurance data, primary-care physicians' diagnoses and payments for services rendered. The diagnoses were compared. RESULTS: There was only a small accordance between F-DIPS and claimcards. Ambulant treating doctors diagnosed somatoform disorders in 28 % of the young women (F-DIPS: 3, 8 %). The F- DIPS found mostly phobic disorders (29 %) (claimcards: 6,1 %). A disorder-specific therapy was only rarely initiated. The treatment (psychotherapy and/or drug therapy) of women with psychiatric disorders appeared to be insufficient. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that primary-care physicians should be urgently trained in psychiatric diagnostics und therapy.