Reduced subjective quality of life in persons at risk for psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
Subjective quality of life (sQoL) and potentially contributing factors were investigated in individuals putatively in an early (EIPS) or late initial prodromal state (LIPS) and healthy controls (HC).


METHODS
Participants comprised 58 EIPS individuals, 157 LIPS individuals and 87 HC individuals. sQoL was assessed together with locus of control (LoC), coping, demography and psychopathology.


RESULTS
Putatively prodromal groups exhibited markedly lower sQoL than HC (all domains P < 0.00001). EIPS and LIPS individuals did not differ significantly. Depression was the most consistent explaining variable of sQoL in EIPS and LIPS individuals. In EIPS individuals, LoC emerged as an additional predictor.


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals at risk for psychosis experienced a marked impairment of sQoL across all domains. This was evident even in the early state, showed no significant further deterioration during the late state and was predominantly explained by non-specific symptoms.
Ruhrmann
S
S
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. stephan.ruhrmann@uk-koeln.de
Paruch
J
J
Bechdolf
A
A
Pukrop
R
R
Wagner
M
M
Berning
J
J
Schultze-Lutter
F
F
Janssen
B
B
Gaebel
W
W
Möller
H-J
HJ
Maier
W
W
Klosterkötter
J
J
D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires