title: Quality of life and anxiety and depressive disorder comorbidity.
abstract: The present investigation evaluated the relations among anxiety and depressive disorder comorbidity and quality of life (QOL) by utilizing self-report measures of life satisfaction and functional disability. Participants were 94 individuals who were presented for treatment at an outpatient anxiety disorders clinic and 26 nonclinical participants. Results indicated that participants diagnosed with anxiety disorders reported lower QOL than did nonclinical participants. Anxiety disorder comorbidity did not additionally impact QOL; however, presence of a depressive disorder comorbid with an anxiety disorder did negatively impact QOL as these individuals reported significantly more functional disability and less life satisfaction than did individuals with anxiety disorders alone or those without a psychiatric diagnosis. These results highlight the negative nature of anxiety disorders and improve clarification on the role of diagnostic comorbidity on QOL among those with an anxiety disorder.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Behavioural and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 2141, Australia. mnorberg@usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Melissa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Norberg
authors.forename: Gretchen J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Diefenbach
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tolin
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D035061:Control Groups; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology