[Return-to-work results of depressive employees in correlation to assumed chronification]

Return-to-work results of 52 depressive employees were examined in 4 subgroups with assumed different chronification. A maximum of chronification was assumed if motivation for a return-to-work was below 5 points (1-8 BWM-Scale) and sickness-absence was longer than 52 weeks ("Chronic-Group"). Minimum chronification was assumed if motivation was 5 points and more (1-8 BWM-Scale) and sickness-absence was below 52 weeks ("Motivated Group"). The "ambivalently motivated" had a return-to-work motivation of 5 points and more and a sickness-absence longer than 52 weeks, the "ambivalently demotivated" subgroup had a return-to-work-motivation of below 5 points and a sickness-absence below 52 weeks. The "motivated" subgroup achieved a return-to-work of 100%, the ambivalent motivated of 67%, the "ambivalent-demotivated" of 33%, the "chronic" of 9.5%. In spite of the small numbers, the return-to-work-results of these four subgroups divided by (a) duration of sickness absence and (b) motovation for a return back to work seemed to show a notable inverse correlation with the assumed chronification of depressive ill employess.