Regeneration orientation is better than resistance orientation in behaviour activation. Results from an intervention study with psychosomatic patients.

The meaning of positive activities in mental health is widely known and found its entrance in therapeutically and empirical work. It also found it's entrance to current therapeutic developments. Different strategies for assessment and promotion of activity level exist. Patients were acquired from a department of psychosomatic medicine in a German rehabilitation center and randomly allocated to two treatment groups ("regeneration" vs "resistance" group). Data from 62 patients in the regeneration group and 65 patients in the resistance group was compared with 43 patients who received a "treatment as usual". All group comparisons were statistically significant, with different results depending on the type of activities. Regarding behavior activation, there tend to be an advantage for the regeneration group. Nothing is said about the transfer after discharge and long term effects.