SUBJECTIVE QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN PATIENTS WI TH CHRONIC-SCHIZOPHRENIA

The main results of quality of life research in sociology and social p sychology and the findings of psychiatric studies on subjective qualit y of life are summarized. The present study examined subjective qualit y of life in patients with chronic schizophrenia in different treatmen t settings (n = 318/ICD 10:F20). The satisfaction scales of the instru ment used (Berliner Lebensqualitats-profil) are shown to have adequate consistency coefficients. Psychopathological variables accounted for more variance than demographic and illness-related characteristics and features of objective quality of life. Negative schizophrenic symptom s were not of particular concern, and anxiety/depression scores did no t interact with satisfaction ratings in different settings. Two of nin e domains (living situation and mental health) and the total scores sh owed significant differences between patients in different settings. T he degree of contrast between in- and out-patients seemed to be influe nced by the current length of stay of the in-patients. In addition to cross-sectional studies, there is a need for further examination of di fferences in subjective quality of life and in treatment effects in lo ngitudinal studies, which should make use of panel designs.