[Catamnesis of neuroses after 11 years of treatment with 3 different therapeutic programs]

Abstract

A total of 266 of 331 neurotics included to controlled comparison of further course and outcome of three therapeutic and preventive programmes of different duration of the contact with therapeutic environment (full inpatient, day center and walk-in clinic treatment) was reexamined 11 years after inclusion to the core (N = 239) and verification (N = 92) study. Results of multivariate analysis of relations between the characteristic of the episode of inclusion and seven criteria of further course and outcome follow-up confirmed the previous (6 and 12 months' follow-up) statements of no relationship neither between the type of the programme, the patient has been randomly assigned to, nor between the duration of the contacts with the therapeutic environment and with further course and outcome of the neurosis. Personality characteristics seem to be more important that the actual neurotic symptomatology and potential predictor of course and outcome. Only hysterical and psychiasthenic syndrome proved to be related to the level of subjective worries and life dissatisfaction at time of the 11 years follow-up, but even these syndromes are usually claimed to be rather relatively stable pattern of personality reactions. Prevailing positive evaluation of the former programme by the followed-up patients provided the clinical workers with an unexpected satisfaction.