Out-patient psychotherapeutic care for depressed patients.: Results of a standardized survey in psychotherapeutic practices

Background. The effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions in treating depressive disorders has been shown in manifold ways. However, information is missing from the point of view of psychotherapists concerning diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, their experienced difficulties and barriers, their self-assessment of their competence in the handling of depressive patients and the satisfaction with the cooperation in routine care. Method. A cross-sectional survey of cognitive-behavioral (n=61) and psychodynamic psychotherapists (n=78) was carried out. Results. The concordance of clinical diagnoses with diagnoses using the formal ICD-10 criteria was very low. Both groups feel themselves specifically responsible for early detection and differential diagnosis. They neither differ with regard to the frequency of cooperation contacts to other service providers nor with regard to their satisfaction with them or the experienced barriers in the care for depressed patients. Conclusion. A good psychotherapeutic care exists with options for improvement concerning diagnostic procedures and a stronger connection network.