[Debora: Acceptance and Feasibility of Pain Competence and Depression Prevention Training in Multidisciplinary Inpatient Rehabilitation].

There is an increasing need for patient education in chronic low back pain with mental comorbidity. The present study was carried out in the setting of multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation and investigated the acceptance and feasibility of the Debora pain competence and depression prevention training comparing an intervention group with a control group. While patients of the intervention group took part in the pain competence and depression prevention training, patients of the control group only participated in pain competence training.

METHOD: A total of 3 partial studies were used for formative evaluation. The triangulative design consisted of problem-centered interviews and focus groups with rehabilitation patients as well as focus groups with experts. The interviews were transcribed, anonymized, and content analysis was performed.

RESULTS: The training was well accepted and feasible from the perspective of the patients and experts. The therapists had a significant influence on the participants' satisfaction. Suggestions for improvement focused on developing extensions of the pain and stress management aspects and on discussing individual problems. Compared to the intervention group and independent of depression, the control group assessed the training as being less satisfatory and showed poor group coherence.

CONCLUSIONS: Results of the formal evaluation support the combined implementation of the Debora pain competence and depression prevention training program and suggest its long-term establishment in multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation.