[Evaluation of the bern day treatment programme and its position in the psychiatric network]

The Bern Day Treatment Programme offers cognitive-behavioural treatment to patients suffering from depression, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. Treatment duration ranges from 12 to 20 weeks. Its concept is described in comparison to other similar institutions. To evaluate the programme the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R), and the Change in Life Areas (VLB) were administered to 89 patients at admission and discharge. Their analyses revealed high symptom levels at admission and a significant improvement during treatment. Patients with personality disorders show less improvement in the VLB than patients without personality disorders. The results of the SCL-90-R indicate that the symptom levels at admission and the symptom reductions during treatment are similar to those of patients treated in inpatient units or in diagnostically specialised day treatment programmes. The Bern Day Treatment Programme seems to be feasible for highly impacted patients with non-psychotic disorders and might be a useful model for areas with low population density.