Riabilitare in psichiatria. Un'esperienza con il metodo train and place all'interno di un Dipartimento di Salute Mentale

Object. The work experience allow often the patients with psychiatric disorders to contain or to decrease of the clinical symptomatology and to improve a social functioning. Their work rehabilitation can follow the “train place” form or the “place train” form. They differ for the use of preliminary programs or stages for the patient. Aims. The study, involving 16 patients recruited at the UOP 44, Magenta, Milan, aimed to determine any change in a group of psychiatric patients who had been followed for one year of work rehabilitation. It also tries to show whether a useful interaction between public (hospital UOP) and private (Social Cooperative) is possible. Method. A multitool assessment included both a clinical assessment interview and the administration of the following tools: Life Skill Profile, Adaptive Behaviour Index, Satisfaction Profile and the Working Skills Index. Referring to this latest instrument, specially designed for this study and attached in Appendix, reliability and validity data are provided. Results. Results show that all patients had a positive trend, especially in the first six months after the work rehabilitation start, with a significant improvement at the Working Skills Index scores. Their dedication is supported also by the Presence and Productivity Index that especially in the first six months after the work rehabilitation are strictly correlated. The placement among a rehabilitative work program had also some significant effects on the patients' satisfaction level, particularly on the psychological functioning. Conclusions. Despite the low number of subjects, the results allow to outline a very useful way of working with patients affected by severe psychiatric disorders; moreover, they show the benefit of the interaction between public and private as two involved agencies.