[Psychological determinants of quality of life in women diagnosed with depressive disorders].

UNLABELLED The essential element of the functioning of patients is the assessment of quality of life and its determinants. Taking into account the depression process and its specific nature this seems to be of special importance. AIM The aim of this paper was the assessment of importance of psychological determinants of quality of life in women with depressive disorders. METHODS The tests were carried out on the basis of the analysis of medical documentation, including the psychiatric records. The following criteria were measured: depression level (Beck Hopelessness Scale), quality of life (The Life Satisfaction Questionnaire FLZ according to Fahrenberg), personality model (NEO Five-Factor Inventory), optimism (The Life Orientation Test-Revised LOT-R by M. Scheier, ChS. Carver and M. Bridges adapted by R. Poprawa and Z. Juczyński), purpose in life (The Purpose-in-Life Test developed by Crumbaugh and Maholick according to the authorised translation by Z. Płuzek), social support (The Social Support Questionnaire by Sommer G, Fydrich T, 1989 adapted by Z. Juczyński), health satisfaction (General Health Questionnaire GHQ 28 by David Goldberg). Women diagnosed with depressive disorders were qualified for testing. The tested group of women included 80 patients in the age bracket of 40 to 60 years from the Outpatient Department of Mental Health, Regional Specialised Hospital in Zgierz. The reference group consisted of 30 women showing no symptoms of depressive disorders. RESULTS The statistical analysis of variables taken into account in the tests showed essential statistical differences between the compared groups with regard to almost all parameters. Significant differences were found in respect of life satisfaction, personality variables, social support, health satisfaction and purpose in life. CONCLUSIONS The obtained results showed significant differences regarding the assessment of quality of life between the group of women with depressive disorders and the group of women without any symptoms of such disorders in respect of the tested psychological determinants. The only exception was the "parent-child relationship satisfaction" where no differences were found.