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Sense of coherence predicts change in life satisfaction among home-living residents in the community with mental health problems: a 1-year follow-up study

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Abstract

Objectives There is a call for a further investigation of Sense of Coherence (SOC), the central concept in salutogenesis, and its relation to health and life satisfaction. No previous studies have investigated the utility of SOC versus mental symptoms for the prediction of life satisfaction among people with chronic mental health problems (MHP). Methods The present study has a prospective design including a baseline assessment and a 1-year follow up. We recruited 107 adults from the community health care system. SOC was measured by the Sense of Coherence questionnaire, mental symptoms by the Symptom Checklist-90 revised and life satisfaction by The Quality of Life Scale (all Norwegian versions). Results The results show that while SOC predicts change in life satisfaction (standardized beta coefficient for SOC was 0.39, P = 0.014), mental symptoms did not (standardized beta coefficient 0.00, P = 1.0). Conclusions These findings emphasize the importance of assessing factors that may explain differences in life satisfaction over and above mental symptoms among people with MHP. The results indicate that improving SOC among people with MHP might provide important opportunities for improving their life satisfaction.

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Abbreviations

MHP:

Mental health problems

SOC:

Sense of coherence

QOLS:

Quality of life scale

SCL- 90-R:

Symptom Checklist-90 revised

GSI:

Global Severity Index

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Acknowledgments

We thank people living at home in the community for participating and the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bergen University College, for support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bergen University College, Haugeveien 28, 5005, Bergen, Norway

    Eva Langeland & Monica W. Nortvedt

  2. Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Kjell Kristoffersen & Berit R. Hanestad

  3. Section of Health Sciences, Oslo University, Oslo, Norway

    Astrid K. Wahl

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  1. Eva Langeland
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  2. Astrid K. Wahl
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  3. Kjell Kristoffersen
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  4. Monica W. Nortvedt
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  5. Berit R. Hanestad
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Correspondence to Eva Langeland.

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Langeland, E., Wahl, A.K., Kristoffersen, K. et al. Sense of coherence predicts change in life satisfaction among home-living residents in the community with mental health problems: a 1-year follow-up study. Qual Life Res 16, 939–946 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-007-9199-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-007-9199-z

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