title: Predictors of quality of life in schizophrenia.
abstract: The objective of this study was to clarify the relationships between socio-demographics, clinical characteristics, stressors, coping strategies, social support and quality of life (QOL) in 143 patients with a diagnosis of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. The research design is cross-sectional with repeated measures on the same subjects after a 6-month interval. A regression analysis generated a model that accounts for 50% of the variance in QOL at Time 1 and 43% at Time 2. The best predictors of QOL were two components of social support: attachment and reassurance of worth. Severity of daily hassles, the coping strategy of changing the situation, level of education and life-time hospitalization length were also related to QOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Verdun, Qc, Canada, H4H 1R3. jean.caron@uqat.uquebec.ca
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lecomte
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stip
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Renaud
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012944:Social Support