[Development of untreated patients and therapy drop-outs--catamnesis 10 years after initial contact]

In general, psychotherapy-research assesses the effect of psychotherapeutic treatment. But how do patients develop, who could not be motivated for psychotherapy or who dropped out of psychotherapy? And what happens to patients who did not seem to be suitable for psychotherapy. According to the methodology of comparative case-study, 25 patients of these marginal groups were questioned in a psychoanalytical interview 10 years after the inpatient preliminary four-day examination. In comparison to 33 regularly treated patients, two typical patterns of development could be distinguished: with patients, who could not be motivated, symptoms reoccurred after a longer period of false solution; then, they were better motivated and could profit by psychotherapy. Patients who dropped out of psychotherapy or who were rejected, went through a relatively robust period as well, before symptoms reoccurred; but the they showed less interest in psychotherapy and tended to seek medical treatment.