Sick leave before, during, and after short-term outpatient psychotherapy: a cohort study on sick leave days and health care costs between behavioral and psychodynamic psychotherapies on anonymized claims data.

BACKGROUND: Sick leave due to mental disorders poses a relevant societal and economic burden. Research on sick leave over a patient journey of individuals who received one of two treatment approaches - either behavioral (BT) or psychodynamic (PDT) psychotherapy - is scarce. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study on anonymized German claims data for propensity-score matched patients who received short-term outpatient BT or PDT. We analyzed sick leave days and direct health care costs one year before, during, and one year after psychotherapy. RESULTS: We analyzed data of patients who received BT and PDT, with N = 14 530 patients per group after matching. Patients showed sick leave days per person year of 33.66 and 35.05 days before, 35.99 and 39.74 days during, and 20.03 and 20.95 days after BT and PDT, respectively. Sick leave rates were overall higher in patients who received PDT. Both patient groups showed reductions of roughly 14 sick leave days per year, or 40%, from before to after therapy without a difference between BT and PDT (difference-in-difference [DiD] = -0.48, 95%-confidence interval [CI] -1.61 to 0.68). Same applies to direct health care costs which reduced in both groups by roughly 1800 EUR (DiD = 0, 95%-CI -158 to 157). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest similar reductions in sick leave days and direct health care costs from before to after BT and PDT. As sick leave is discussed to serve as an indicator of overall health and functioning in mental disorders, both treatments may have a similar positive impact on mental health.

[Factorial and Convergent Validity of the Short Form of the "Questionnaire of Thoughts and Feelings" (QTF-14) for Borderline Personality Disorder]. / Faktorielle und konvergente Validität der Kurzversion des "Fragebogens zu Gedanken und Gefühlen" (FGG-14) bei Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung.

The "Questionnaire of Thoughts and Feelings" (QTF) is being used as screening instrument as well as tool for treatment planning and treatment evaluation for patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The primary goal of this study was the validation of the dimensional structure of the short version with 14 items, QTF-14. Additionally, item characteristics, reliability and evidence of convergent validity were examined. A diagnostically homogenous sample of patients with BPD (N=3035) of a psychosomatic clinic was presented with several self-assessment inventories, including the QTF-14. The expected single-factor model of the structure of the FGG showed unacceptable model fit indices (CFI=0.751; TLI=0.706; RMSEA=0.115; SRMR=0.073). Exploratory factor analysis showed evidence of two or three specific factors. In a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis, a bifactor model with two specific factors proved to be preferable (CFI=0.956; TLI=0.936; RMSEA=0.054; SRMR=0.034). The internal consistency of the total scale as well as the suggested subscales "Relationship Difficulties and Emotional Dysregulation" and "Autoaggression" was acceptable to good (ω=.81-.84; α=.79-.85). Associations with similar scales were as expected. Good psychometric properties of the QTF-14 can be confirmed in this study. Using the suggested subscales could support treatment planning.

[Psychosomatic Rehabilitation for Post-COVID]. / Psychosomatische Rehabilitation bei Post-COVID.

Aim of the study Post-COVID is characterized by a large number of different symptoms. The indication for medical rehabilitation is based on the main symptom. Insured individuals who suffer from fatigue and have no relevant organic disorder are often rehabilitated in psychosomatic clinics. In the present study, the effectiveness of psychosomatic rehabilitation in patients with post-COVID will be investigated. Methods 91 patients with post-COVID are compared to 124 patients with mental disorders and 68 patients with cancer regarding the improvement of fatigue and depressiveness as well as satisfaction and socio-medical parameters. Results At admission, the level of fatigue did not differ in the three groups and was equally reduced. Patients with post-COVID and high depression scores at admission had clinically significant levels of fatigue at discharge. The proportion of patients with mental disorders who were discharged with a negative prognosis for employment was significantly increased. Discussion Although psychosomatic rehabilitation can reduce fatigue, the proportion of patients suffering from fatigue with post-COVID at discharge is still high. Conclusion The treatment concept for the rehabilitation of patients with post-COVID must take into account the often individual course of the disease. Psychosomatic rehabilitation can make an important contribution here.

Temporary disability pension recipients: Contextual stress factors and their effect on return-to-work-intention.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In the last decades, Germany has experienced a vast increase in the number of individuals applying for or receiving disability benefit. Only a small proportion of them intends to return to work. The present study aims to identify and describe the percentage of temporary disability pensioners, who have the intention to return to working life. METHODS: The final sample consisted of 496 insured individuals who were receiving temporary disability pension from the Regional German Pension Insurance (DRV) at that time. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The following self-report instruments were administered: a. Evaluation of Contextual Factors; b. German Symptom Validation Test (BEVA); c. German Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9); d. Readiness for Return-to-Work German Scale (RRTW). RESULTS: The results revealed that approximately 6% of participants were at the stage of "preparation", 31.9% at the stage of "contemplation", and more than half of the participants were at the stage of "pre-contemplation" according to the RRTW. Comparing the groups of "pre-contemplation" (Group 1) and "contemplation+preparation" (Group 2+3), no statistically significant differences were found, except for age. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, further research is required to identify possible factors which could predict the stage of RRTW. New interventions are needed that can raise the motivation for and success in the return to work of disability pensioners.

[Incapacity to work due to mental disorders-economic, individual, and treatment-specific aspects]. / Arbeitsunfähigkeit bei psychischen Störungen ­ ökonomische, individuelle und behandlungsspezifische Aspekte.

The changes in the modern work environment are accompanied by specific stressors that can have a negative impact on employees' mental health. In line with this, the proportion of sick-leave days due to mental disorders has recently risen to 17.7% compared to 10.9% in 2007, which in 2021 was associated with costs of 42.9 billion euros due to losses of gross value and productivity.Based on current health economic studies, this review provides an overview of the economic impact of incapacity to work and early retirement due to various mental disorders in Germany. In absolute figures, expenditure on incapacity to work is particularly high for common mental illnesses such as affective and anxiety disorders. Rarer mental disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders cause high costs in relation to their low prevalence, particularly due to sickness benefit payments.In addition to these economic implications, the consequences of incapacity to work, early retirement, and unemployment are examined at an individual level and explanatory approaches for the specific psychosocial stresses are presented. The latter highlights the need for scientifically substantiated treatment methods. Certified treatments have proven to be efficient in reducing the number of sick-leave days, particularly for common mental disorders. This applies even more to workplace-related interventions, which appear to be superior to conventional methods in this respect. Workplace-based therapies incorporate work-related models and focus on the planning of reintegration into the workplace. Further naturalistic studies are needed to test the transferability of the effectiveness of these treatments to other disorders.

[Rationale, models, and impact of workplace-based psychotherapeutic services]. / Rationale, Modelle und Wirkung arbeitsplatznaher psychotherapeutischer Angebote.

Mental illnesses and behavioral disorders are very common among the working population, affecting up to a third of employees each year, and are associated with great suffering, the risk of chronicity, and the loss of employment. Economically, mental illnesses cause high costs. In order to mitigate these consequences and increase the chances of recovery, rapid diagnosis, early and appropriate treatment where necessary, and-over and above the usual psychotherapy approach-attention to the work-related causes are of crucial importance.Psychotherapeutic Consultation at the Workplace (PT-A) attempts to meet these requirements. It offers psychotherapeutic help at short notice and close to the workplace for employees suffering from mental stress; provides (depending on the problem) counseling, diagnostics, prevention, and short-term or bridging therapy; and supports reintegration after a longer period of mental illness. It is helpful to cooperate closely with the company medical service, which consults the PT­A, refers employees to it, provides information on the company situation, and can support reintegration if necessary. Funding is often provided by the company but can also be provided by health insurance companies in integrated care models.This article begins by describing the history and principles of PT­A and the role of work stress in the development of psychological and psychosomatic disorders. The implementation of PT­A is then outlined using two examples. Finally, the current study "Early Intervention at the Workplace" ("Frühe Intervention am Arbeitsplatz" [friaa]), to which several articles in this special issue refer, is briefly presented.

[Mental health in the workplace - What role do socioeconomic-, gender-, and migration-related inequalities play?] / Psychische Gesundheit am Arbeitsplatz ­ Welche Rolle spielen sozioökonomische, geschlechterspezifische und migrationsbedingte Ungleichheiten?

BACKGROUND: Risk factors for mental health can be found in socio-economic-, gender- and migration-specific inequalities. These factors and the extent of depression, anxiety, and somatization among employees were examined in the present study. METHODS: As part of the Early Intervention in the Workplace Study (friaa), mentally burdened employees at five locations in Germany were surveyed on socio-demographic-, work-, migration-, and health-related content. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between these factors and depression (Patient-Health-Questionnaire-9, PHQ-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2, GAD-2), and somatization (Somatic Symptom Scale-8, SSS-8) in the entire sample and in people with migration background (MB). For the latter, acculturation (Frankfurt Acculturation Scale, FRACC) and the perception of burden in terms of demands of immigration (Demands of Immigration Scale, DIS) were also taken into account. RESULTS: On average, the 550 employees (12% with MB) showed clinically relevant depression (M = 13.0, SD = 5.1) (PHQ-9 ≥ 10), anxiety (M = 3.5, SD = 1.7) (GAD ≥ 3) and somatization (M = 13.0, SD = 5.8) (SSS-8 ≥ 12). Female gender was associated with higher anxiety and somatization. Older age and night shift work were associated with higher somatization. DISCUSSION: The results confirm the high level of mental burden among this sample of employees in Germany. In order to maintain their mental health, support measures should be offered, especially for vulnerable groups such as women, older employees, and night shift workers.

[Mental health problems among employees: service use and costs to the German healthcare system]. / Psychische Belastungen bei Erwerbstätigen: Leistungsinanspruchnahme und Kosten für das deutsche Gesundheitssystem.

BACKGROUND: Service use among employees with mental health problems and the associated costs for the health and social system have not yet been systematically analysed in studies or have only been recorded indirectly. The aim of this article is to report the service use in this target group, to estimate the costs for the health and social system and to identify possible influencing factors on the cost variance. METHODS: As part of a multicentre study, use and costs of health and social services were examined for a sample of 550 employees with mental health problems. Service use was recorded using the German version of the Client Sociodemographic Service Receipt Inventory (CSSRI). Costs were calculated for six months. A generalized linear regression model was used to examine influencing cost factors. RESULTS: At the start of the study, the average total costs for the past six months in the sample were €â€¯5227.12 per person (standard deviation €â€¯7704.21). The regression model indicates significant associations between increasing costs with increasing age and for people with depression, behavioural syndromes with physiological symptoms, and other diagnoses. DISCUSSION: The calculated costs were similar in comparison to clinical samples. It should be further examined in longitudinal studies whether this result changes through specific interventions.

[Psychotherapeutic consultation at work: associations between company size and psychosomatic health]. / Psychotherapeutische Sprechstunde am Arbeitsplatz: Zusammenhänge zwischen Unternehmensgröße und psychosomatischer Gesundheit.

BACKGROUND: The utilization of psychotherapeutic consultation at work (PT-A) has so far been investigated in large enterprises (LEs). These differ structurally from small(est) and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Differences in the user profiles of a PT­A with regard to psychosomatic health, work-related self-efficacy, and work ability depending on company size have hardly been investigated. This study also examined differences in the employees' perception of the psychosocial safety climate (PSC) in the company, which represents management's efforts to promote mental health. METHODS: As part of the Early Intervention in the Workplace intervention study called "friaa", employees from LEs and SMEs interested in a PT­A were surveyed throughout Germany from September 2021 to January 2023. Using t­ and χ2-tests, differences between employees in LEs (n = 439) and SMEs (n = 109) were examined with regard to the ICD-10 F diagnostic code ("International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems"; mental and behavioral disorders), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-2), level of functioning (GAF), somatic symptom burden (SSS-8), health (VR-12), ability to work (WAI), self-efficacy (SOSES), and psychosocial safety climate (PSC-4). The association between these variables and especially the PSC­4 were investigated using correlation analysis. RESULTS: Both groups showed similar levels of stress. From the employees' perspective, psychosocial issues were addressed significantly more frequently in LEs than in SMEs with a medium effect size. The study provided initial indications that in LEs there were positive correlations of the PSC­4 with SOSES and WAI and negative ones with PHQ­9 and SSS­8. DISCUSSION: The comparable psychological strain on employees in LEs and SMEs points to the need for behavioral and structural preventive measures regardless of the company size. Mainly in SMEs, organizational communication of psychosocial health should be given greater priority.

[Implementation of psychotherapeutic consultation at work (PT-A): expectations, announcement, and use : Results of the friaa-study]. / Implementierung einer psychotherapeutischen Sprechstunde am Arbeitsplatz (PT-A): Erwartungen, Bekanntmachung und Nutzung : Ergebnisse der friaa-Studie.

INTRODUCTION: Psychotherapeutic consultation at work (PT-A) offers easily accessible, short-term support for employees experiencing psychological stress. The aim of the study was to evaluate aspects of the implementation regarding announcement, access, and use of the PT­A. METHODS: The study was conducted as part of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) called "Early Intervention in the Workplace". Forty-six company actors answered a questionnaire about how the companies announced the PT­A to their employees, the barriers in the announcement of the PT­A, and the beneficial factors of using the PT­A. The access routes of the 550 participating employees were used from the baseline data of the RCT. Seven company actors were qualitatively interviewed about their expectations of the PT­A and 22 participants of the RCT were interviewed about their experiences accessing and using the PT­A. RESULTS: The company actors hoped that the PT­A would have an impact on all levels of prevention. Most companies announced the PT­A centrally (e.g., flyers and intranet) as well as through individual recommendations (e.g., through the company's social counselling and occupational health professionals). Employees appreciated the opportunity to participate anonymously in the central announcement. Advantages of the supportive access were seen in the accessibility of employees without treatment experience, employees with high levels of suffering, and employees who have not yet recognized their own need for treatment. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that it is useful to announce the PT­A centrally to all employees but also to recommend it personally to affected employees. By using both methods, different PT­A target groups can be reached and the advantages of anonymous participation are retained.

[Participation Restriction and its Prediction in Victims of Acts of Violence During the Proceedings Under the Victims Compensation Act: A File-Based Exploratory Cohort Study]. / Teilhabebeeinträchtigung und deren Prädiktion bei Opfern von Gewalttaten im Verfahren nach dem Opferentschädigungsgesetz: Eine aktenbasierte explorative Kohortenstudie.

After an act of violence, affected individuals not only suffer psychological and physical damage, but also impairment in their professional, social and societal participation. So far, however, no studies have been conducted examining the severity of participation restrictions and prognostically relevant characteristics. Using a category system, sociodemographic information as well as trauma-, crime- and health-specific characteristics of adult victims of acts of violence, whose entitlement to benefits were recognized under the German Victims Compensation Act (OEG), were recorded from files. Based on psychiatric assessments of damage, participation restrictions were also assessed post-hoc based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The data are extracted from 99 files; 72 of those affected were female. The average age of the victims at the time of the offence was 25 years. 53 were victims of sexual violence, 24 were victims of forms of bodily injury and 45 were victims of other acts of violence. 29 victims experienced more than one type of violence. All had at least one mental disorder with pathological significance. An average of four years passed between the first and second psychiatric assessment. While 85 of those affected stated that they had been employed before the offence, the number of employees dropped to 53 after the offence. The most pronounced participation restriction was found in professional participation. A multiple regression analysis revealed that a higher degree of participation restriction was associated with lack of employment and a stronger negative impact after the crime as well as the victim's familiarity with the perpetrator; but not associated with a mental disorder or a lack of a victim's trustworthy relationships. In future, participation restrictions should regularly be assessed based on the ICF during the psychiatric assessment. The results suggest that particularly benefits for professional participation are to be granted within the framework of the OEG.

[Insured Persons with High and Moderate Risk of Reduced Earning Capacity - Identification, Analysis of the Use of a Counselling Service and Illustration of their Health and Occupational Situation]. / Versicherte mit Erwerbsminderungsrisiko: Identifikation, Analyse der Inanspruchnahme eines Beratungsangebots und Darstellung der gesundheitlichen und beruflichen Situation ­ Eine Querschnittstudie.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the life situation, and analyse the need for rehabilitative interventions as well as the use of counselling service offered to persons insured by the German Pension Insurance Braunschweig - Hannover (DRV BS-H), using the moderate and high risk index for temporary disability penson (RI-EMR). METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study. The participants were generated from a random sample of the total insured persons of the DRV BS-H. 1778 persons were contacted offering telephone consultation and a request for participation in a questionnaire survey that recorded, among others, symptoms, burdens and impairments. Employed persons were asked about their stress at work, non-employed persons about their motivation to return to work. 391 (24.5%) participated in the questionnaire survey and 157 (9.8%) of those contacted responded to the offer of counselling service. The contents of the counselling sessions were evaluated descriptively. The questionnaire data were analysed comparatively (ANOVA, χ2-test). RESULTS: The offer of the telephone counselling was not used as expected in advance. Insured persons with a high RI-EMR showed more clearly complaints as well as burdens and impairments due to contextual factors than persons with a moderate RI-EMR. The majority of non-employed persons in both groups showed up in the motivational stage of forming intentions with regard to a possible return to employment. CONCLUSION: The question arises as to how insured persons with prognostically limited participation can be better reached with offers of assistance. The goal of early offer of support services is confronted with the problem that delays occur in the application of the routine data of the DRV and thus of the RI-EMR. Future studies should investigate how to improve insured persons' participation in counselling services and also their motivation to return to work.

[Pension Due to Full Reduction in Earning Capacity: Do Psychiatric Reports Meet the Quality Criteria for Socio-Medical Assessment?] / Berentung wegen voller Erwerbsminderung: Erfüllen psychiatrische Gutachten die Qualitätskriterien für die sozialmedizinische Begutachtung?

OBJECTIVE: The quality of socio-medical expert opinions, which are prepared for the German Pension Insurance (GPI) in the context of applications for reduced earning capacity pension due to mental disorder, has hardly been investigated so far. The aim of the present study was to investigate to what extent expert medical reports on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) comply with the guideline of the GPI on socio-medical reports for mental and behavioral disorders. METHODOLOGY: To examine the quality of expert opinions, 52 socio-medical expert opinions in which a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was assigned and a performance capacity of less than three hours was determined were analyzed. The quality of the expert opinions was assessed both quantitatively by calculating quality points and qualitatively by analyzing the content. Percent agreement and Cohen's kappa were calculated for two raters to examine rater agreement based on a subsample (n=11). RESULTS: The analyzed appraisals scored an average of 36.1 (SD=7.4) out of a possible 92 quality points (range 22/56). In most of the expert opinions, the descriptions of participation limitations, epicrisis, and sociomedical conclusion were unsatisfactory. CONCLUSION: The inadequate presentation of the functional and participation limitations in the expert opinions may not do justice to the actual facts of the case, so that the evidence of a health disorder with the corresponding participation limitations cannot be provided beyond doubt. Accordingly, measures to improve the quality of expert opinions such as training and regular quality reviews are necessary.

[Domestic violence and its psychological consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic-key findings from German-speaking countries]. / Häusliche Gewalt und ihre psychischen Folgen während der COVID-19-Pandemie ­ Zentrale Befunde aus dem deutschsprachigen Raum.

The impact of traumatic experiences on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has been insufficiently discussed in the German-speaking countries. Against this background, a working group of scientifically and clinically active colleagues was formed on behalf of the German-Speaking Society for Psychotraumatology (DeGPT). The aim of the working group was to summarize central research findings on the incidence of domestic violence and associated psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in German-speaking countries and to discuss their implications. In addition, associations between pre-existing childhood trauma and psychological distress during the pandemic should be illuminated. The present narrative review was prepared for this purpose.The results of the studies conducted indicate high prevalences of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, which, however, predominantly correspond to pre-pandemic prevalences. Adults with current or pre-existing interpersonal traumatic experiences during childhood or adolescence reported increased psychological distress during the pandemic compared with adults without such experiences. A number of risk factors (e.g., female gender, lower frequency of social contacts) increased the risk of psychological distress and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms during the pandemic. According to these findings, people with current or past interpersonal trauma exposure represent a vulnerable group with special support needs during pandemic contexts.

Gender-related differences in health-care and economic costs for eating disorders: A comparative cost-development analysis for anorexia and bulimia nervosa based on anonymized claims data.

OBJECTIVE: Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) impose a significant financial burden and immense sufferings on affected individuals. Yet little is known about the differences between how each disorder affects males and females, respectively. METHOD: We performed a retrospective cost-development analysis of anonymized claims data from the German statutory health-insurance system. Insured persons who suffered from an onset of AN (F50.0; N = 1,242 females and 71 males) or BN (F50.2; N = 1,104 females and 64 males) were analyzed for cost-of-illness over a 5-year period, beginning 2 years before the index diagnosis. RESULTS: In total, all groups incurred similar distributions of total costs over the 5-year observation period, with roughly 14,000-20,000 EUR median costs. About two-thirds of the total costs for females and males with AN are associated with mental illness, whereas for females and males with BN, this applies to approximately half the total costs. Analyses revealed differences between disorders and genders for single outcomes. AN is associated with a stronger increase in costs within a short period following onset and higher inpatient treatment costs, whereas BN entails more instances of incapacity to work before and after onset. Compared to females, males incurred lower costs in outpatient treatments. DISCUSSION: Our study adds evidence as to the disparities in health-care utilizations and costs over the course of illness, in outcome ratios, and between genders, for both AN and BN.

Willingness to pay for a quality-adjusted life year for depressive disorders compared to heart disease based on population preferences.

PURPOSE: According to estimations of the World Health Organization, depressive disorders, and cardiovascular disease will be the leading causes for global burden of disease in 2030. The aim of the present study was to estimate the value a representative sample of the German population places on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for depressive disorders compared to heart disease. METHODS: A representative sample of N = 967 of the German general public was randomly presented with one of two hypothetical health-loss scenarios: One version of the questionnaire presented respondents with health loss due to depression, while the other version dealt with health loss due to experiencing a heart disease. Respondents were asked to indicate their willingness to pay (WTP) for four hypothetical health-gain scenarios with different treatment options. RESULTS: In the depression questionnaire median WTP values ranged from 1000 to 1500 EUR; in the heart disease questionnaire from 1000 to 2000 EUR. Results of the Mann-Whitney U-Test and Median Test indicate higher WTP values for heart disease compared to depressive disorders when QALY gains were minor and stretched over a long period of time, and when treatment with bypass operation (rather than treatment with ECT) was offered. Zero WTP was significantly higher in all scenarios of the depression questionnaire in comparison to the hearth disease questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that respondents valued the necessity of paying for treatment higher when presented with heart disease compared to depression.

Early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation of employees with common mental disorders by using psychotherapeutic consultation at work: study protocol of a randomised controlled multicentre trial (friaa project).

BACKGROUND: Common mental disorders are one of the leading causes for sickness absence and early retirement due to reduced health. Furthermore, a treatment gap for common mental disorders has been described worldwide. Within this study, psychotherapeutic consultation at work defined as a tailored, module-based and work-related psychotherapeutic intervention will be applied to improve mental health care. METHODS: This study comprises a randomised controlled multicentre trial with 1:1 allocation to an intervention and control group. In total, 520 employees with common mental disorders shall be recruited from companies being located around five study centres in Germany. Besides care as usual, the intervention group will receive up to 17 sessions of psychotherapy. The first session will include basics diagnostics and medical indication of treatment and the second session will include work-related diagnostics. Then, participants of the intervention group may receive work-related psychotherapeutic consultation for up to ten sessions. Further psychotherapeutic consultation during return to work for up to five sessions will be offered where appropriate. The control group will receive care as usual and the first intervention session of basic diagnostics and medical indication of treatment. After enrolment to the study, participants will be followed up after nine (first follow-up) and fifteen (second follow-up) months. Self-reported days of sickness absence within the last 6 months at the second follow-up will be used as the primary outcome and self-efficacy at the second follow-up as the secondary outcome. Furthermore, a cost-benefit assessment related to costs of common mental disorders for social insurances and companies will be performed. DISCUSSION: Psychotherapeutic consultation at work represents a low threshold care model aiming to overcome treatment gaps for employees with common mental disorders. If successfully implemented and evaluated, it might serve as a role model to the care of employees with common mental disorders and might be adopted in standard care in cooperation with sickness and pension insurances in Germany. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The friaa project was registered at the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS) at 01.03.2021 (DRKS00023049): https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00023049 .

Decline of depressive symptoms in Europe: differential trends across the lifespan.

PURPOSE: We examined changes in the burden of depressive symptoms between 2006 and 2014 in 18 European countries across different age groups. METHODS: We used population-based data drawn from the European Social Survey (N = 64.683, 54% female, age 14-90 years) covering 18 countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland) from 2006 to 2014. Depressive symptoms were measured via the CES-D 8. Generalized additive models, multilevel regression, and linear regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: We found a general decline in CES-D 8 scale scores in 2014 as compared with 2006, with only few exceptions in some countries. This decline was most strongly pronounced in older adults, less strongly in middle-aged adults, and least in young adults. Including education, health and income partially explained the decline in older but not younger or middle-aged adults. CONCLUSIONS: Burden of depressive symptoms decreased in most European countries between 2006 and 2014. However, the decline in depressive symptoms differed across age groups and was most strongly pronounced in older adults and least in younger adults. Future studies should investigate the mechanisms that contribute to these overall and differential changes over time in depressive symptoms.

Value of Electroconvulsive Therapy in the General Public: A Willingness to Pay Study in Germany.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to estimate the value a population-representative sample places on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) through willingness to pay (WTP) and to assess the effects of individual characteristics on WTP for ECT. METHODS: A German population-representative sample of 518 was presented with a hypothetical health loss scenario of depression and was asked to indicate WTP for ECT. Probit and quantile regression were used to estimate the effects of individual characteristics on the probability of stating a positive WTP and on the amount of money respondents were willing to pay. RESULTS: Two thirds of respondents stated that they had no knowledge about ECT. Most (56.5%) respondents indicated zero WTP for health gains through ECT treatment. Mean WTP was €5201 ($5612); median WTP was €1000 ($1079). Respondents' monthly household income had a significant effect on the probability of stating a positive WTP. Assessing WTP above zero, income showed a significant positive effect, whereas a higher score of depressive complaints showed a significant negative effect on the amount respondents were willing to pay. CONCLUSION: Knowledge about ECT treatment is particularly low in the German public.

[Convergent and Factorial Validity of the Impulsivity and Emotion Dysregulation Scale (IED-27) for Borderline Personality Disorder]. / Faktorielle und konvergente Validität der Skala zur Erfassung der Impulsivität und emotionalen Dysregulation (IES-27) bei Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung.

There is a growing consensus that emotion dysregulation is the defining feature of borderline personality disorder, but there are also persisting competing views on the pathology and dimensional structure of the disorder. The "Impulsivity and Emotion Dysregulation Scale" (IED-27) is already being used for assessing patients with borderline personality disorder. The particular aim of this study was to gain evidence of the dimensional structure of the disorder by confirmatory factorial analysis. A heterogeneous sample of patients with borderline personality disorder (n=484), attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder (n=191) and eating disorders (n=197) of a psychosomatic clinic were given general and specific self-assessment inventories via computer-assisted testing system, including the IED-27. Results showed a bifactor model with a general factor and three specific factors: "emotional dysregulation", "relationship difficulties" and "self-injuries and suicidal behaviours", to be the model with the best fit (ΔCFI=0,032). The internal consistency of the sample seems to be good (ω=0,83-0,93) and expected correlations to similar subscales could be proved. Good psychometric criteria of the IED-27 were replicated in this study. Prospectively, the subscales allow a more detailed representation and specific treatment planning.