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An Empirical Study on the Application of the Burden of Normality to Patients Undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease

Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Mental Health volume 6, pages 175–186 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Psychosocial maladjustment frequently occurs following deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This paper aimed at investigating, for the first time with first-hand data, whether the burden of normality model (BoN) could adequately describe the manifestations and underlying dynamics of psychosocial maladjustment after DBS for PD. In a mixed experimental design including quantitative and qualitative data, 19 patients treated with DBS for PD were interviewed on their post-DBS lived experience with the Austin CEP Interview, a semi-structured instrument addressing all elements of the BoN. In addition, health-related quality of life was measured before surgery and at the time of interview with the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. All patients experienced clinical manifestations of psychosocial maladjustment as described in the BoN. Yet, there was a great interindividual heterogeneity in descriptions of the perceived course of the post-DBS life. Experiencing various types of symptoms was nevertheless associated with the perception of a less satisfying life after surgery. In addition, most patients had realistic expectations on the surgical outcome, and those with unrealistic or mixed expectations did not differ from other patients in terms of psychosocial maladjustment. The BoN accurately conceptualizes psychosocial maladjustment experienced by DBS patients with PD. However, no relationship was established between the nature of pre-operative expectations and BoN symptoms.

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Fig. 1

Retrieved from Wilson et al. [20]

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant Number: CR31I3_149578/1). The authors are thankful to Prof. Sarah Wilson and her colleagues from the University of Melbourne for allowing us to use the Austin CEP Interview.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service of General Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Nant Foundation, Avenue des Alpes 66, 1820, Montreux, Switzerland

    Marc Baertschi

  2. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard du Pont-d’Arve 40, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland

    Marc Baertschi, Nicolas Favez & Michalina Radomska

  3. Division of Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Pont-Bochet 3, 1226, Thônex, Switzerland

    François Herrmann

  4. Service of Neurology, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland

    Pierre R. Burkhard

  5. Division of Institutional Measures, Medical Direction, Geneva University Hospitals, Avenue de Rosemont 12b, 1208, Geneva, Switzerland

    Kerstin Weber

  6. Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland

    Pierre R. Burkhard & Alessandra Canuto

  7. Service of Liaison Psychiatry and Crisis Intervention, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1208, Geneva, Switzerland

    João Flores Alves Dos Santos

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Baertschi, M., Favez, N., Radomska, M. et al. An Empirical Study on the Application of the Burden of Normality to Patients Undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease. J. Psychosoc. Rehabil. Ment. Health 6, 175–186 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40737-019-00149-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40737-019-00149-5

Keywords

  • Burden of normality
  • Deep brain stimulation
  • Expectations
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Rehabilitation
  • Consultation-liaison psychiatry