Investigating the roles of loneliness and clinician- and self-rated depressive symptoms in predicting the subjective quality of life among people with psychosis

Abstract

PurposeTo examine the roles of loneliness and clinician- and self-rated depressive symptoms as predictors of the subjective quality of life (QoL) in psychosis.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 207 patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders. They were assessed with self-reported measures of QoL, loneliness and depression and with clinician-rated measures of depression and overall psychopathology. Multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling was used to analyze the data.ResultsBoth loneliness and depression turned out to be independent predictors of impaired QoL. However, once loneliness was accounted for, the effect of depression on QoL was markedly reduced and the effect of loneliness proved to be visibly larger. Self-rated depression was found to be more strongly associated with QoL than clinician-rated depression. Each type of depression measure explained a unique amount of variance in QoL. Depression moderated the relationship between loneliness and QoL in such a way that the negative effect of loneliness on QoL weakened with the increasing intensity of depressive symptoms.ConclusionsTherapeutic programs aiming to enhance the QoL of people with psychotic disorders should incorporate interventions targeting both loneliness and depression and need to be tailored to the clinical status of patients. The emphasis on alleviating loneliness should be placed first of all in the case of those with low levels of depression, among whom the negative impact of loneliness on QoL is especially strong. Researchers should be aware that the method chosen for assessing depressive symptoms in models predicting QoL in psychosis matters.

Loneliness in Malta: Findings from the first National Prevalence Study

“…The significant associations between loneliness and sociodemographic factors-such as presence of disability, coping ability, subjective wellbeing, and self-rated physical health-also underscore its impact on quality of life (QoL), corresponding to other researcher's findings (e.g. Fanakidou et al, 2018;Rokach et al, 2006;Ś witaj et al, 2018). It would therefore be pertinent to explore this area in further depth in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between QoL and loneliness, to inform future therapeutic interventions.…”

Year of study as predictor of loneliness among students of University of Gondar

“…Social isolation is found to be correlated with loneliness that ended up with depression among adults as indicated by a study done in London [12]. Quality of life is affected negatively in persons with loneliness [13] pushing adolescents to use life-threatening substances such as Marijuana [14]. Loneliness is responsible for most depressive symptoms [8] and may lead to cognitive impairment [15].…”

Peer network Status and Depressive Symptoms Among Early Adolescents: Testing the Mediating Effects of Metaperception and Loneliness

“…Thus, the strength of mediation may have been overestimated because of the common method variance between the mediator and the outcome (Zimmer-Gembeck, Hunter, & Pronk,2007). Indeed, research experience suggests that measures based on self-assessment may be more strongly linked to self-reported rather than clinician-rated depression (Świtaj, Grygiel, Chrostek, Wciórka, & Anczewska, 2018). Subsequent research should consider additional sources of information for depression, including the severity of depressive symptoms as assessed by a clinician.…”