Illness beliefs and treatment beliefs as predictors of short and middle term outcome in depression

Abstract

The article investigates whether illness beliefs and beliefs about rehabilitation are predictors of short and middle term outcome in depression even when adjustments are made for variables, which are known to be predictors of the course of depression. Within the context of a non-controlled prospective study design, data were analyzed using forced entry hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The sample comprised N = 98 patients. Adjusting for a range of sociodemographic and medical predictors, illness beliefs and beliefs about rehabilitation predict outcome in depression. Illness beliefs and beliefs about rehabilitation are relevant starting points for designing patient-oriented interventions.

What Do Patients Think about the Cause of Their Mental Disorder? A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Causal Beliefs of Mental Disorder in Inpatients in Psychosomatic Rehabilitation

“…Patients’ beliefs about their mental disorder are important for treatment because they affect illness-related behaviours [1, 2] and treatment outcomes like quality of life and psychological health [2–4]. For instance, those impacts were shown in patients with depression [1, 4], with psychotic disorders or personality disorder [2] and in a sample of patients with mixed mental disorders like depression, anxiety, stress-related and somatoform disorders [3].…”

“…For instance, those impacts were shown in patients with depression [1, 4], with psychotic disorders or personality disorder [2] and in a sample of patients with mixed mental disorders like depression, anxiety, stress-related and somatoform disorders [3]. The common sense model of illness representations by Leventhal, Nerenz and Steele [5] comprises a theoretical basis for patients’ beliefs and their impact on illness related behaviours.…”

Depressionsbehandlung aus Betroffenensicht – Eine qualitative Analyse der subjektiven Behandlungsvorstellungen über Psychotherapie und hausärztliche Versorgung von Menschen mit Depressionen

“…[12 -14]) liegen nur wenige Studien zu Vorstellungen von Menschen mit Depressionen über Psychotherapie und hausärztliche Versorgung vor. Erste Studien zeigen jedoch bereits, dass Behandlungsvorstellungen von Menschen mit Depressionen dem Modell entsprechend mit Inanspruchnahme von Behandlung [15] und Adhärenz [16] zusammenhängen sowie Outcomes vorhersagen [17]. Einstellungen zur Inanspruchnahme von Psychotherapie werden von soziodemografischen, störungs-und kulturspezifischen Faktoren beeinflusst [18].…”

Creating a Protocol for Diagnosis of Depression

“…Visto que o paciente pode apresentar sintomas diferentes e contrário ao característico da depressão. Achados de um estudo mostraram que 1% dos indivíduos tinha depressão atípica (11).…”

“…A depressão recorrente leve é caracterizada por diagnóstico anterior de depressão leve, mais pelo menos dois episódios depressivos (com sintomas fundamentais ou acessórios) de duração de no mínimo duas semanas e separados por vários meses. Segundo um estudo, 4,2% da amostra teve o diagnóstico de depressão recorrente (11).…”