A mother makes an appointment at her general practitioner’s (GP) clinic for her son who complains about fatigue and has dropped out of school. After a reassuring anamnesis, clinical examination, and blood tests, the process analysis highlights avoidance behavior.
Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI) is proposed to the adolescent and his parents, in line with the model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Originally established in 1979 in a hospital setting, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has meanwhile undergone extensive research that has extended its scope of application. The program interventions are provided either in groups or individually and designed for therapeutic benefits or personal development. ACT is part of the therapeutic and individual approaches.
What function does this intervention play in general practice? How does the general practitioner introduce himself and bring about such an approach? What are the approach’s strengths and advantages when conducted in the physician's office? What are the GP's limitations and when does it become necessary to refer the patient to a specialist? Which tools should be used? What are the prospects for integrating MBI into the GP’s practice?
Key words
MBI, adolescence, general practice, process approach, ACT, fatigue, school dropout