EFFECTS OF ILLNESS ATTRIBUTION AND DEPRESSION ON THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE AMONG PERSONS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL-ILLNESS

Attributing one's problems to a mental illness is associated with redu ced subjective quality of life (QOL) among persons with schizophrenia, controlling for a broad range of socio-demographic, social, clinical, and psychosocial variables. Persons who attributed their problems to a 'physical, medical, or biological' problem in contrast to a 'mental illness' reported more positive social relations and higher overall qu ality of life. Much of the negative effect of mental illness attributi ons is explained by perceived stigma, lower self-esteem, and a higher level of depressive symptomatology. Depressive symptoms have an indepe ndent negative effect on QOL net of all other variables. These finding s have important implications for the appropriate rehabilitation of pe rsons with mental illness and require further scrutiny with prospectiv e data.