Negative Beliefs About Working with Health Problems and Support at Work as Predictors for Return to Work for People Struggling with Common Mental Disorders.

This was an observational study, so it can show associations but not prove that beliefs or workplace support caused return to work. Patients received individualised cognitive behavioural therapy or metacognitive therapy plus work interventions, so the study did not test one specific treatment. The prediction analysis used 387 of 797 participants with complete data, and those with complete data had higher education than those without. The sample came from one outpatient clinic, was mostly women, and had high education, so it may not apply to other mental health settings or diagnoses. Severe mental disorders, high suicide risk, and substance abuse were excluded, so findings do not apply to those groups. Time pressure and autonomy statements did not form usable factors, so their predictive value was not tested. Return to work was measured only at the end of treatment, not at longer follow-up. The factor structure needs replication in other samples.

Funding came from the Southern and Eastern Norwegian Regional Health Authority and Diakonhjemmet Hospital. The supplied text does not report author conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that improving workplace support or changing negative beliefs will cause more return to work. This was an observational study, and the treatment was not randomised, so the associations may reflect other factors.