Factors predicting psychosocial recovery in psychiatric patients

• Published in: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Vol. 94; no. 5; p. 365
• Main Authors: Viinamäki, H, Niskanen, L, Jääskeläinen, J, Antikainen, R, Koivumaa-Honkanen, H, Tanskanen, A, Lavonen, T, Lehtonen, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.1996
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Combined Modality Therapy; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Depressive Disorder - rehabilitation; Educational Status; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental Disorders - rehabilitation; Middle Aged; Neurotic Disorders - psychology; Neurotic Disorders - rehabilitation; Patient Readmission; Personality Assessment; Personality Disorders - psychology; Personality Disorders - rehabilitation; Prognosis; Psychotherapy; Psychotropic Drugs - therapeutic use; Schizophrenia - rehabilitation; Schizophrenic Psychology; Social Adjustment; Social Support
• ISSN: 0001-690X; 1600-0447
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1996.tb09874.x

We examined factors associated with psychosocial recovery in patients receiving specialist psychiatric treatment by means of a questionnaire directed at staff and patients (n = 1084) in an extensive study performed in North Savo, Kuopio, Finland. Psychosocial recovery was considered to have taken place if the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) score had increased from the lowest estimate obtained during the preceding year by at least 28 points at the time of the study (n = 102). The remaining cases (n = 982) served as controls. In the univariate analysis of all of the patients, the factors associated with good recovery were a high level of basic education, a diagnosis of major depression and adequate social support. The opportunity to contact a therapist outside fixed treatment visits was also a factor predicting psychosocial recovery. In the multivariate analysis, independent factors predicting recovery were the high frequency of treatment contacts in cases of schizophrenia, previous hospitalization in major depression, and a high level of basic education and hospitalization in personality disorders.