Background
Treatment results achieved after completion of inpatient psychosomatic rehabilitation are often not permanent. Further participation in an outpatient rehabilitation aftercare may reduce the risk of recurrent disorders and support a successful return to working life. A therapy diary, should accompany the aftercare and bring about the self-reflection process of psychosomatic rehabilitants, could reduce recurrent disease progressions and support the recovery process as a whole. The study focuses on the assessment of the effectiveness and implementation possibilities of a therapy diary in outpatient rehabilitation aftercare.
Methods
Seven group leaders in Central Germany and eleven psychiatric rehabilitants were interviewed in a qualitative study using partially standardized, guideline-based expert interviews. The data evaluation is based on the Qualitative Content Analysis according to Mayring.
Results
The results indicate that the accompanying use of a therapy diary within the outpatient rehabilitation aftercare, the rehabilitated by writing down thoughts, emotions, dysfunctional behaviours in problematic situations and thereby experienced successes, allows an intense engagement with their own thoughts and feelings. Through this initiated self-reflection process, the rehabilitant gains a better understanding of one's own behaviour in dealing with oneself and the environment and thereby learns to generate new ways of acting if necessary.
Conclusions
The use of the therapy diary on a voluntary basis in the outpatient rehabilitation aftercare could support the therapy process and thus the recovery of the rehabilitants and also increase the chance of a successful occupational rehabilitation.