A pilot study examining a model of interdisciplinary communication on unconscious mental mechanisms. The aim is to find a more tailored way to help young adults with depressive disorders back to school or employment, by integrating Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) and Individual placement and support (IPS).

Ingunn Bjarnadottir Solberg is a medical doctor, specialized in general medicine. She has a dr.philos in the field of occupational and organizational health psychology.

About the Project

The goal of the current pilot study, at the Department of depression at Modum Bad, is to develop a model with the aim of helping young adults with depression to return to education and/or employment. The pilar of the model is an interdisciplinary communication between social services and health services. The patients choose what they want help with (what they find difficult) in relation to employment/studies. With the help of ISTDP approach we plan to examine what unconscious mental mechanisms interfere with the patients’ autonomy, competence, hope and feelings. Job specialists (IPS) at the social services (NAV) help the patients to find a job he/she can use as a part of a 10-week inpatient treatment at Modum Bad. After this 10-week intensive job focused therapy, there will be regularly interdisciplinary meetings (every third month) with the focus on the patients’ needs and related conscious and unconscious mental mechanisms. After one year the patients are admitted to Modum Bad again (for one week this time). Here we plan to conduct focus group interviews with the aim to explore how the patients experienced the project in general, and the model in particular.

Objectives

The pilot project’s objective is to investigate, from the depressive patients’ perspective, the effect of integrating ISTDP and IPS in an interdisciplinary collaboration, on return to school/work.  This knowledge can be used to develop more tailored interventions (in healthcare and social care) to meet the increasing sick leave among young adults with mental illness.

Results

There are no preliminary results yet.

Background

The project uses data from focus group interview the Unit for Depressive Disorders at Modum Bad. The department offers short-term dynamic therapy for adult patients with persistent depressive disorders. The treatment is inpatient and lasts approximately 10 weeks. There will be 8-10 patients included in the study. These are local young adults, between 18-30 years old. All patients can withdraw their consent at any time.

Funding

The project is internally funded by Modum Bad.

Collaboration

The project collaborates with NAV Modum, NAV Øvre Eiker, NAV Kongsberg and NAV Drammen.

Tools

The study uses data collected continuously throughout the treatment process at Modum Bad via the feedback instrument M-POQ (Modum Bad Process and Outcome Questionnaire). In this instrument we plan to include validated questionnaire on work related self-efficacy and basic psychological needs. These feedback data will be discussed with the patients during treatment. Results from focus group interview.

Contact Information

Project Manager: Ingunn Bjarnadottir Solberg

You can also reach us through the Modum Bad telephone service: 32 74 97 00.

Project participants

Ingunn Bjarnadottir Solberg, Specialist in general medicine, dr.philos, Modum Bad

Roger Hagen, Clinical psychologist, Professor at the Department of Psychology, UiO, Professor II at the Department of Psychology, NTNU.

Bernt Langvasbråten, psychologist specialist, founder and psychotherapy supervisor at the Norwegian institute of ISTDP, psychotherapy supervisor/special advisor at Modum Bad.

Mikkel Eielsen, Medical Doctor, Ph.D. Candidate, Modum Bad 

Publications

Researchers studying depression and affective disorder at Modum Bad: