Quality of life in schizophrenia: contributions of anxiety and depression

A number of studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between quality of life in schizophrenia and general psychopathology measures, and moreove r, that the positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms are less related to quality of life. The current investigation examined the relationship bet ween quality of life and symptomatology in 63 stabilized outpatients diagno sed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Consistent with other f indings, more severe depression, as rated on the Brief Psychiatric Rating S cale (BPRS) was associated with lower general life satisfaction and lower s atisfaction with daily living, finances, health, and social life. In additi on, higher anxiety ratings on the BPRS were associated with less satisfacti on with global quality of life, daily activities, family, health and social relationship, even when controlling for positive symptoms, negative sympto ms, or depression. No other symptoms of schizophrenia were as strongly asso ciated with subjective quality of life. Anxiety was also significantly corr elated with a number of positive and negative symptoms while depression was substantially less related. These findings, suggest that more precise anal yses of general psychopathology, and anxiety in particular, may be necessar y to further clarify the factors involved in quality of life in schizophren ia. In addition, these findings suggest future directions for theories of a ffect and treatment in schizophrenia. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.