Hope, self-stigma, personality traits and quality of life in patients with psychotic disorders

Abstract

Introduction

Recently, as a result of an increased emphasis on patients’ needs, the awareness on the quality of life has been engaged into account in the exploration of schizophrenia.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to explore the relations between hope, self-stigma, personality traits and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder.

Methods

Fifty-two stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders participated in cross-sectional study. The psychiatrist assessed each patient with Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and Clinical Global Impression-Severity. The patients completed Quality of Life Satisfaction and Enjoyment Questionnaire, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, Temperament and Character Inventory, Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, Drug Attitude Inventory, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory – II, and Beck Anxiety Inventory.

Results

The quality of life was significantly higher in employed patients, and individuals with higher hope, self-directedness, and persistence. The quality of life was lower among the patients with higher number of hospitalizations, those with higher severity of the disorder and individuals who were taking more medication. The patients with more pronounced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social anxiety had a lower quality of life. Finally, the quality of life was lower among the individuals with higher harm avoidance, and self-stigmatization.

Conclusions

Detection of the quality of life in the context of personality traits, hope, self-stigma and demographical and clinical factors may be an important part of the treatment of patients with schizophrenia.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.