Relationship between duration of sick leave and time variation of words used in return-to-work programs for depression.

Only 42 participants were analysed, all from one clinic, so the findings may reflect that clinic's local workforce. Most participants were men, and about 65% were engineering or technical workers, so results may not apply to other settings. All participants had returned to work within 1 month after the last program session, so the study cannot describe people who did not return. The analysis ignored word context because it split text into individual words. Records were written by staff, not patients, so wording may reflect staff style as well as patient speech. Other factors that can affect return to work, such as comorbidities and income, were not analysed. This was an observational record analysis, so it cannot show that words caused shorter sick leave.

Do not conclude that more social and emotional words cause faster return to work. The study only analysed existing staff-written records from 42 people in one clinic, and the return-to-work program included many components, so the effect of any single part cannot be separated.