INDICATION FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY - WHICH INFL UENCE HAVE PATIENTS INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS ON THE SELECTION OF TREATMENT AND SETTING

Based upon 477 clinical intake interviews performed by 37 different in terviewers, this study investigates the influence of the kind and degr ee of interpersonal problems of patients on the selection of psychothe rapy and the psychotherapeutic setting (individual vs. group treatment , inpatient vs. outpatient psychotherapy). Interpersonal problems were obtained using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP, HOROWITZ et al. 1994), and rated by the interviewers on the eight dimensions o f the IIP. It can be shown that the selection of patients for psychoth erapy depends upon the agreement of the interviewers and the patient w ith respect to the kind and degree of interpersonal problems. Further it can be demonstrated that the recommendation of group treatment depe nds upon the prevalence of specific interpersonal problems. Similar re sults are reported with respect to the patients' selection for inpatie nt psychotherapy.