[Psychosocial after care: studies of the value of psychosocial measures in clinical practice].

The present study analyses aftercare planning for 2.536 Patients of the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Düsseldorf. Data were collected from the Psychiatric Basis Documentation and on the basis of hospital reports on 100 schizophrenic patients taken from the same sample. All statements concerning aftercare and discharge planning in the hospital reports were submitted to content analysis. Results indicate a remarkable discrepancy between psychopharmacological and psychosocial aftercare, especially for schizophrenic patients. Possible conditions which strengthen biomedical thinking to the disadvantage of psychosocial aftercare are discussed.