title: Clinical determinants of life satisfaction in chronic schizophrenia: data from the CATIE study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quality of life is seen as an important outcome variable for patients with schizophrenia. However, the precise definition of this construct varies and has often been used to define health-related domains. The present study sought to focus on global life satisfaction as a key subjective domain and determine its relationship with clinical variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample included 1437 patients with chronic schizophrenia who participated in the Clinical Antipsychotic Trial of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) study. Patients were evaluated with a comprehensive battery of assessments capturing symptoms, cognition and medication side effects, among other variables. Life satisfaction was evaluated with a global self-report item.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater depressive symptoms were the most robust indicator of worse life satisfaction. Lower life satisfaction was also associated with poorer psychosocial functioning, greater symptoms of anxiety, apathy and more negative attitudes toward medication. Taken together, these variables explained 20% of the variance in life satisfaction scores. Positive symptoms and other medication side effects also negatively influenced life satisfaction scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results affirm that clinical variables have an adverse effect on the overall subjective well-being of patients with schizophrenia. The relatively small amount of variance explained, though, argues for a better understanding of those other variables that contribute to life satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Schizophrenia Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: gagan.fervaha@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Gagan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fervaha
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Agid
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foussias
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Remington
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: Life satisfaction; Quality of life; Schizophrenia; Symptoms; Well-being