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Psychopathology in children: Improvement of quality of life without psychiatric symptom reduction?

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the association between change in psychopathology and Quality of Life (QoL) across time in children with high levels of psychopathology.

Methods

A referred sample of 126 seven- to 19-year-olds was studied across a 1-year follow-up period. Information concerning QoL and psychopathology was obtained from parents.

Results

Overall, 38.1% of children showed neither psychiatric symptom reduction nor QoL improvement, 33.3% of children showed both a clinically significant psychiatric symptom reduction and QoL improvement, and 28.6% of children showed either psychiatric symptom reduction or QoL improvement. In 11.1% of all children,QoL improved, while the level of psychopathology remained high. Age, gender, or psychiatric diagnosis did not predict a poor outcome of persistently high psychopathology scores and poor QoL.

Conclusion

QoL in children with psychiatric problems may be improved by reducing psychiatric symptoms in a number of children, but it is also possible to improve QoL without psychiatric symptom reduction. This implicates that QoL should become an important aim and treatment outcome measure of psychiatric treatment programs, especially since psychopathology tends to persist.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Erasmus-MC—University Medical Center Rotterdam, Sophia Children’s Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2060, 3000, CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Dennis Bastiaansen, Hans M. Koot & Robert F. Ferdinand

  2. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Developmental Psychology, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081, BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Hans M. Koot

Authors
  1. Dennis Bastiaansen
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  2. Hans M. Koot
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  3. Robert F. Ferdinand
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Correspondence to Dennis Bastiaansen.

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Bastiaansen, D., Koot, H.M. & Ferdinand, R.F. Psychopathology in children: Improvement of quality of life without psychiatric symptom reduction?. Europ.Child & Adolescent Psych 14, 364–370 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-005-0481-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-005-0481-8

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