The effects of a dilemma management training program on mental health: a prospective study with mid-level executives in hospitals.

Purpose: Mid-level executives are confronted with many dilemma situations, in which they are forced to decide between conflicting options, none of them leading to the desired result. If they fail to cope with them constructively, their individual risk for mental strains increases (Gerlmaier and Latniak, 2013). Initial findings focusing on executives in industry (Bossmann, 2020) show that fostering effective dilemma management in executives is a preventive factor against stress-related diseases.

If every fifth physician is affected by burnout, what about the other four? Resilience strategies of experienced physicians.

Purpose: To identify health-promoting strategies employed by experienced physicians in order to define prototypical resilience processes and key aspects of resilience-fostering preventive actions.

Method: From January 2010 to March 2011, the authors conducted 200 semistructured interviews with physicians of different ages, disciplines, and hierarchical status from across Germany. The interview transcripts were analyzed according to the Content Analysis method.

[Working with a family systems therapy approach as part of the routine treatment on acute psychiatric wards: sustained effects on team members' workload].

Objective: Assessing long-term effects of a family systems therapy approach (systems therapy methods in acute psychiatry, SYMPA) on occupational stress and interdisciplinary cooperation of team members in three German psychiatric hospitals.

Methods: Pre-post-follow-up survey using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Team Climate Inventory (TCI) questionnaires complemented by semi-structured in-depth interviews (N = 56).

Results: Three years after implementing a family systems therapy approach, experienced work load and staff burnout remain significantly lower than before.

[Pathogenetic and salutogenetic aspects of physicians' health].

Objective: To analyse pathogenetic and salutogenetic processes of physicians suffering from depression, burnout and drug addiction.

Methods: Qualitative follow-up interviews with 32 former physician patients from the Oberbergkliniken hospital group.

Results: Long working hours, bureaucratic restrictions and double burdens of combining family life and professional demands are major pathogenetic strains.

[Physicians' resilience--salutogenetic practices and attitudes of experienced physicians].

What enables physicians to cope efficiently with their every day stressors? Which strategies and attitudes contribute to long term job satisfaction and biopsychosocial health throughout their career? In order to work out the resiliency processes and coping strategies of residents and senior physicians we conducted 200 qualtitative expert interviews. The analysis revealed 30 main categories, referring to 5 subsystems: relating to patients and colleagues, dealing with structural restrictions, maintaining private relations and fields of interests and developing self-awareness. Based on the empirical salutogenetic practices and attitudes we draw conclusions for prevention.

Family systems psychiatry: principles, good practice guidelines, clinical examples, and challenges.

This article describes a collaborative action research project, carried out in Germany and designed to promote the integration of family systems thinking and methods into the core practices of everyday psychiatric care. During 1997-2002, "good practice" guidelines were compiled in an initial research project, involving 17 in- and outpatient psychiatric services. In the second phase of the project (2002-2008), the approach is now well established, being taught and evaluated in three state hospitals in Germany.

[Multiprofessional family-system training programme in psychiatry--effects on team cooperation and staff strain].

Objective: How does the interdisciplinary cooperation of psychiatric staff members change after a multiprofessional family systems training programme?

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 49 staff members. Quantitative questionnaires were used to assess burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory, MBI) and team climate (Team-Klima-Inventar, TKI).

Results: The multiprofessional training intensifies interdisciplinary cooperation.