[Effectiveness of psychiatric day clinic treatment. An empirical study from the psychiatric service of the Thun regional hospital]

Abstract

As a part of a new community mental health service in a non-university region this intermediary institution questioned its effectiveness. We wanted to know whether rehabilitative goals were attained at all and whether achieved changes would persist a certain time beyond discharge. With the use of goal attainment scaling changes in relation to goals defined in the beginning of the treatment were rated at the end of it and again one year after discharge. The psychologist who took care of these 46 catamnestic interviews had not been personally involved in the treatment. The positive results regarding "job situation" and "social contacts" as well as the immutability of "lodging situation" and the incapacity to keep up with the realization of "spare time interests" after discharge are discussed. The reflections are made within the frame of different levels of evaluation.