[Return-to-Work - The Transition after Psychiatric Inpatient Treatment].

Objectives: Workers on sick-leave due to a mental illness have enormous problems to return to work. The main objective of the present study is to examine, how individuals experience the transition from the mental health system to their workplace.

Methods: A qualitative research design guided by a grounded theory approach was used. Narrative interviews with ten workers on sick leave and four semi-structured interviews with return-to-work-experts were conducted.

Results: Relevant for returning to work is the interplay between the involved persons. Essential is the interpretation of the transition and as a result, which calls for action are made to the participants.

Conclusion: Clinical interventions for returning to work should focus the support on the expectations of the participants and stimulate a common interpretation.