Risk assessment and shared care planning in out-patient forensic psychiatry: cluster randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Forensic psychiatry aims to reduce recidivism and makes use of risk assessment tools to achieve this goal. Various studies have reported on the predictive qualities of these instruments, but it remains unclear whether their use is associated with actual prevention of recidivism in clinical care. AIMS: To test whether an intervention combining risk assessment and shared care planning is associated with a reduction in violent and criminal behaviour. METHOD: A cluster randomised controlled trial (Netherlands Trial Register number NTR1042) was conducted in three out-patient forensic psychiatric clinics. The intervention comprised risk assessment with the Short Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) and a shared care planning protocol formulated according to shared decision-making principles. The control group received usual care. The outcome consisted of the proportion of clients with violent or criminal incidents at follow-up. RESULTS: In total 58 case managers and 632 of their clients were included. In the intervention group (n = 310), 65% received the intervention at least once. Findings showed a general treatment effect (22% of clients with an incident at baseline v. 15% at follow-up, P<0.01) but no significant difference between the two treatment conditions (odds ratio (OR) = 1.46, 95% CI 0.89-2.44, P = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Although risk assessment is common practice in forensic psychiatry, our results indicate that the primary goal of preventing recidivism was not reached through risk assessment embedded in shared decision-making.

[The supervisory relationship from a psychoanalytic perspective]. / De opleidingsrelatie bekeken vanuit psychoanalytisch perspectief.

BACKGROUND: The Dutch psychiatric training programme is being revised according to modern educational principles. In our view, however, the proposed training scheme does not adequately clarify the relationship between the trainee and the staff member most involved, while literature implicates that a good supervisory relationship is one of the most important conditions for an effective training. AIM: To discuss, from a psychoanalytic perspective, those aspects that help to define the quality of the supervisory relationship. METHOD: Literature research. RESULTS: If the distinction between training and therapy is strictly adhered to, psychoanalytic theories add importantly to the quality of the supervisory relationship and lead to an effective training. Recognising, understanding and, wherever possible, steering en directing what happens in the relationship is important not only for the personal and professional development of the trainee, but also for the job satisfaction of the trainer. CONCLUSION: Psychoanalytic theories can make an important contribution to the sensitivity for and understanding of the supervisory relationship.

Short-term effects of enhanced treatment for depression in primary care: results from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a highly prevalent, often recurring or persistent disorder. The majority of patients are initially seen and treated in primary care. Effective treatments are available, but possibilities for providing adequate follow-up care are often limited in this setting. This study assesses the effectiveness of primary-care-based enhanced treatment modalities on short-term patient outcomes. METHOD: In a randomized controlled trial we evaluated a psycho-educational self-management intervention. We included 267 adult patients meeting criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder, assessed by a structured psychiatric interview. Patients were randomly assigned to: the Depression Recurrence Prevention (DRP) program (n=112); a combination of the DRP program with psychiatric consultation (PC+DRP, n=39); a combination with brief cognitive behavior therapy (CBT+DRP, n=44); and care as usual (CAU, n=72). Follow-up assessments were made at 3 months (response 90%) and 6 months (85%). RESULTS: Patient acceptance of enhanced care was good. The mean duration of the index episode was 11 weeks (S.D.=9.78) and similar in CAU and enhanced care. Recovery rate after 6 months was 67% overall; 17% of all participants remained depressed for the entire 6-month period. CONCLUSION: Enhanced care did not result in better short-term outcomes. We found no evidence that the DRP program was more effective than CAU and no indications for added beneficial effects of either the psychiatric evaluation or the CBT treatment to the basic format of the DRP program. Observed depression treatment rates in CAU were high.

Effects on depression pharmacotherapy of a Dutch general practitioner training program.

BACKGROUND: General practitioners' (GPs) ability to recognize, diagnose and treat depression improved significantly after a comprehensive, 20-h training programme. This study aims to evaluate in more detail the effects of the training on GPs' pharmacotherapy of depression and related issues. METHODS: A pretest-posttest design was used. Both in the pre- and post-training phase, a sample was drawn from consecutive patients of the 17 participating GPs. In the pre-training phase we identified a sample of 31 cases with an ICD-10 depression who received an antidepressant from their GP. The sample was followed for 1 year. Outcome measures were: type of antidepressant, dosage, duration and number of target instructions given by the GP. Then we trained the GPs. In the post-training phase, we identified a new sample (n = 47) from their practices and measured the same outcomes. RESULTS: Improvements were seen in choice for modern antidepressant, adequate dosage, adequate duration, and number of target instructions given. LIMITATIONS: Observed changes can be due to a period effect, inherent in a pre-post design. CONCLUSIONS: A post-academic hands-on training of GPs can improve depression pharmacotherapy according to clinical guidelines with respect to choice of a modern antidepressant, adequate dosage, adequate duration and psychoeducation.