Content analysis of follow-up interviews with inpatient/outpatient group psychotherapy patients

In the follow-up project of the psychosomatic clinic at the University of Heidelberg, 45 patients were interviewed who had begun group psychotherapy in a closed group over 2.5 years with an inpatient treatment period of 3 months. The follow-up interviews carried out 2-5 years after the end of the outpatient treatment period are studied by content analysis. It could be demonstrated that the content of the two main categories 'Beginning' and 'End' of the inpatient period differs very much. Two patterns of 'beginners' could be distinguished. The importance of the evaluation of the former patients' spontaneous report as involved experts for psychotherapy research is discussed.