Analysis of Patient Characteristics in the Inpatient Treatment of Behavioural Addictions: an Exploratory Study

Abstract

Clinical research on the treatment of behavioral addictions is still scarce. The current study aims to analyze the therapy model for behavioral addictions implemented at the Privatklinik Meiringen, a psychiatric hospital in Switzerland. Patient characteristics over a period of two years were analyzed, documenting abnormalities and changes in their psychological state. A total of 49 individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 were included from the inpatient setting. The patient characteristics were presented with descriptive statistics. Using validated measuring instruments, the psychological state of the patients at the time of admission and discharge was recorded and analyzed. All study participants suffered from psychological comorbidities besides the diagnosis of behavioral addiction. Depression constituted the most common comorbidity, whereas the distribution and incidence of comorbidities varied depending on specific behavioral addiction present in the patient. A clear improvement in psychological distress between the first and the last surveys could be demonstrated. The study provides an exploratory insight into the peculiarities of characteristics of patients suffering from behavioral addiction in an inpatient setting and an overview of their comorbidity spectrum. The retrospective nature of the study prevents an assessment of the effectiveness of the therapy.