[Correlation between subjective well-being and pharmacological therapy in patients with psychotic disorders]

Abstract

Aims: The present study aims to investigate whether exists a meaningful relation between quality of life and subjective well being with regard to the pharmacological treatment (antipsychotic typical versus atypical) in a sample of people with psychotic disorders integrated in a Community Residential Rehabilitation Centre; to examine whether the different antipsychotic treatment is correlated to a different answer to the psychosocial rehabilitation intervention in terms of significant improvement in the positive and negative symptomatology, subjective well-being and quality of life.

Method: All patients, who suffer from schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder according to DSM-IV criteria, treated with antipsychotic and stabilized from at least one month, were enrolled in the study.

Results: 32 patients have participated in the study: 22 patients treated with atypical drugs and 10 with typical. The analysis of the collected data didn't show any significant statistical difference at baseline with regard to symptomatology, subjective well-being and quality of life. From the statistical analysis of the data to the endpoint, after a month of psychosocial rehabilitation, we found a statistically meaningful improvement in all the areas inquired in the group of the patients dealt with antipsychotic atypical drugs.

Conclusion: The results confirm that the atypical antipsychotics are more effective, than the typical, to improve symptomatology, subjective well-being and quality of life of psychiatric patients.