SYMPTOMS, STANDARDS OF LIVING AND SUBJECTIVE QUALITY-OF-LIFE - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF SCHIZOPHRENIC AND DEPRESSED OUT-PATIENTS

The subjective quality of life (QOL) (i.e. individual evaluation of on e's life experiences) has been studied according to a series of differ ent parameters such as resource availability, and sociodemographic and clinical variables, at times yielding contradictory results. Subjecti ve quality of life and standard of life from a selected sample of 45 c hronic out-patients (25 schizophrenics, and 20 patients with major dep ression) were evaluated by means of structured interviews. Statistical analysis revealed that subjective QOL was largely independent of stan dard of living (so long as basic needs were satisfied), diagnosis, and clinical course of illness, and only partly dependent on sociodemogra phic variables. No correlation was found between clinically evaluated symptoms (both psychotic and depressive) and subjective QOL On the con trary, significant correlations were found between self-ratings of dep ression, depressive cognitive attitudes and subjective ratings of QOL.