Impact of phase-specific treatment of first episode of psychosis on Wisconsin Quality of Life Index (client version)

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a phase- specific community-focused treatment program on different dimensions of sel f-reported quality of life in a representative sample of first episode psyc hosis patients. Method: Data were collected on patients presenting with a first episode of psychosis on the Wisconsin Quality of Life Index (client version), positive and negative symptoms, and demographic and clinical variables at baseline following clinical stabilization and at 1 year. Results: Complete data on a representative sample of 41 patients showed a s ignificant improvement in most dimensions of the WQOL at 1 year; these chan ges were generally independent of changes in symptoms and there were no sig nificant differences in the magnitude of improvement in QOL between those w ith DUP < or > 6 months. Conclusion: Patients with a first episode of predominantly schizophrenia sp ectrum psychosis show a highly significant improvement in subjectively asse ssed quality of life following a year of phase-specific comprehensive treat ment.