THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN PERSONS WITH SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

The goal of this study was to examine the effects of personality trait s as measured by the NEO-PI on the quality of life (QOL) of persons wi th schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia, The premise of this res earch is that personality traits may be important in shaping one's out look and satisfaction with rife. In a prior pilot study, personality t raits were measured in persons with schizoaffective disorder and schiz ophrenia. In this study, the relationship between QOL and specific per sonality domains as assessed by the NEO-PI were studied in 21 patients . Global QOL as measured by the Lehman QOL instrument was positively c orrelated with Extroversion (E) and Agreeableness (A), and negatively correlated with the domain of Neuroticism (N). Global satisfaction sco res were not correlated with ratings of psychoticism, paranoia or depr ession. These data suggest that even in psychotic conditions such as s chizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia, intrapsychic factors influen ce one's sense of QOL. In addition, these data suggest that personalit y variables may differentially affect patients' satisfaction and QOL w ith different treatment settings.