[The Munich Attachment and Effectiveness Study: Study Design and a Case Example]. / Münchner Bindungs- und Wirkungsforschungsprojekt: Studiendesign und ein Einzelfall.

OBJECTIVES: The "Munich Attachment and Effectiveness Study" is a prospective psychotherapy study examining process and outcome of psychoanalytic psychotherapies. The study design and results are exemplified in a single case. METHODS: At 6 points in time audio-taped and transcribed therapy sessions are evaluated using process instruments (e. g. Psychotherapy Process Q-Set PQS) and interviews (e. g. Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics OPD, Heidelberg Structural Change Scale HSCS, Adult Attachment Interview AAI). RESULTS: In the single case, findings from the psychotherapeutic process (e. g. "therapist is empathic" according to PQS) complement the achieved changes. 5 HSCS problem foci reached level of "restructuring", on the Reflective Functioning Scale a marked change of RF took place and the attachment classification changed over time. CONCLUSIONS: The instruments employed in this study corresponded well in assessing change processes in spite of differing theoretical background.

[Utilization and utility of psycho-oncologic support of patients with mamma-carcinoma]. / Nutzung und Nutzen psychoonkologischer Versorgung bei Patientinnen mit Mamma-Karzinom.

OBJECTIVES: This study explores patients' utilization of psycho-oncologic support and the effectiveness thereof. METHODS: At the hospital in Munich-Harlaching, 51 patients were recruited following their first admission to the breast centre, 27 of whom utilized the psycho-oncologic service. They were compared to 24 decliners of the service. All patients completed self-rating questionnaires (Distress-Thermometer and Patient Health Questionnaire) at admission and at release. Group differences were calculated statistically by chi-square- and t-tests. RESULTS: We found no significant differences between users and decliners concerning socio-demographic and somatic data, but there were significant group differences in mental health. Users reported more mental distress and more depressive and anxiety symptoms. Psycho-oncologic interventions showed small to large effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study corresponded more to external than to internal validity standards, it did yield provisional empirical evidence that psycho-oncologic interventions are effective in the treatment of the mental symptoms of breast cancer patients.