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In long-term studies on psychosocial adaptation and coping, stage-related measures should be preferred to time measures alone. The implications of different strategies for the psychological treatment of cancer patients are discussed.

In a prospective longitudinal study over several years, 58 patients with breast cancer are compared to 52 patients with fibrocystic disease and 24 patients with mastodynia. Results of coping (as assessed with the Bernese Coping Modes) are presented for the illness course of the first 6 months: (1) There is considerable variation of coping depending on illness situation and illness state. A core group of coping modes is predominant in most situations: ‘attention & care’, ‘problem analysis’, and ‘Tackling’. In average 10 different coping modes were used by patients per given illness situation. (2) The different aspects of illness (in the same organ) ask for different coping. In the initial evaluation phase, however, the possibly fatal diagnosis overrides these differences. (3) Change over time (first 6 months) is net. Besides the core group of coping modes mentioned above, there is more variability in coping; in cancer a trend from a more fighting to a more accepting attitude is obvious; in fibrocystic disease more restricted coping is observed. Interdependence of coping with emotional stability and social adaptation will be studied as well.

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The effects of febarbamat and pipamperon on agitational and aggressive states of patients with diffuse psycho-organic syndrome were compared in a double-blind study on patients over 60 years of age requiring nursing care. Such disorders, particularly in the field of psychiatric gerontology, represent an increasing problem. The neuroleptic agents hitherto prescribed for such agitational states are not only beset with serious side-effects (predyskinesia, drug-induced Parkinson syndrome, sedentary restlessness, postdyskinesia), but particularly with an unwanted suppression of the patients’ reactions. It was therefore of particular interest to find out if febarbamat showed an equally good therapeutic effect on aggressive and agitational states, without causing these side-effects (especially suppression of cognitive performance). This could have a positive effect on social and other therapeutic activities. The test substances were therapeutically comparable in their effect on agitational and aggressive states. On the psychological level, febarbamat showed superiority in the cognitive performance parameters.