Influencing factors of different durations of behavioural therapy in in-patients with anxiety disorders

In this study, the influencing factors of different durations of in-patient therapy were examined. We investigated 1173 patients with anxiety disorder s who were treated in the psychosomatic clinic of Bad Pyrmont with behaviou ral therapy. Patients with anxiety disorders have an average treatment duration of 52.4 days with a minimum of less than one week and a maximum of more than five m onths. The duration of treatment depends on the one hand on sociodemographi c variables such as age, marital status, partnership, residential status, a nd professional activity, but not on gender or education. The duration of t reatment also depends on factors of severithy of the disorder, such as the number of in-patient or psychotherapeutic treatments, duration of disorder and disability, and the number of psychiatric diagnoses, but not on the num ber of somatic diagnoses. There is a positive correlation between duration of treatment and effect of therapy as well as recovery of fitness for work.