Betrokken instelling

Adhesie GGZ, CWZ Nijmegen Rivierduinen, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen

Betrokken personen

• Drs. P.J.J. Goossens
• Dr. E.G.Th.M.
• Dr. E.A.M. Knoppert- van der Klein
• Prof. Dr. T. van Achterberg

Startdatum en looptijd

2005, afgerond.

Achtergrond van het onderzoek

Growing evidence exists that patients with a bipolar disorder in a euthymic mood state can suffer from subsyndromal or residual symptoms of depression or hypomania causing considerable burden and functional impairment.

Doelstelling van het project

This study was undertaken to gain insight into the broader spectrum of psychopathological symptoms and quality of life associated with a bipolar disorder.

Hoe wordt het onderzoek uitgevoerd?

Participants (n = 157) completed the SCL-90, the WHOQOL-Bref and a questionnaire addressing demographic and clinical characteristics.

Zijn er al (voorlopige) resultaten?

Outpatients with a bipolar disorder reported more symptoms of psychopathology than the general population but a comparable number of symptoms to patients visiting their general practitioner. Outpatients with a bipolar disorder reported fewer symptoms of psychopathology than psychiatric outpatients in general. Relative to the general population, a significantly lower quality of life was reported. The number of symptoms of psychopathology also showed consistently negative correlations with the quality of life for the outpatients.
Conclusions: Outpatients with a bipolar disorder suffer from a broad range of psychopathological symptoms which greatly impact their lives. The more psychopathological symptoms reported, the lower the quality of life. Symptoms of depression appear to be the most important cause of a decreased quality of life for outpatients living with a bipolar disorder.

Goossens, P. J. J., Hartong, E.G.Th.M., Knoppert-van der Klein, E. A. M., van Achterberg, Th. Self reported psychopathological symptoms and quality of life in outpatients with a bipolar disorder. Submitted.