[Significance of concepts about illness attribution and treatment expectations in the initial treatment phase]

To evaluate the influence and the consequences of subjective concepts about attribution and treatment expectations of patients and therapists 56 patients of two psychiatric outpatient departments were examined with the inventory for concepts about illness and the Giessen-Test. In addition biographic data and information of the present problems as well the judgment of the therapists were registered. The results show that the subjective concepts of problem attribution and treatment expectations correlate with patient variables as personality, social economic states, social network, anamnestic data, present problems, previous therapeutic experience and vocational situation. Some concepts (e.g. psychologically oriented concepts) and the conformity of therapists and patients are important predictors of indication, prognosis and outcome of therapy. Therapists are especially motivated to work with patients who have similar concepts and a similar social background as themselves. The concepts of the patients assimilate of those of the therapists already after a short period of therapy.