Changes in quality of life in forensic psychiatric outpatients after 6 months of community‐based treatment

Abstract

AbstractOver the last few decades, quality of life (QoL) has become an important outcome measure for treatment success in general psychiatry. So far, this is not the case in forensic psychiatry, although several (treatment) models include factors related to QoL, such as the good lives model. In this study, we investigated change in QoL over a 6‐month treatment period in 102 forensic outpatients with personality disorders (PDs) or traits of PDs. To this end, the extended Dutch version of the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile was used.Objective indicators of QoL did not change during these 6 months, with one exception: Significantly more patients reported to have a helping friend at the second time point. Eight of 10 subjective indicators of QoL changed differentially for patients with different baseline levels of QoL. Those with low scores showed significant improvement on nine indicators, whereas those with high scores reported a lower QoL after 6 months on five indicators. Treatment intensity, mood and severity of PD did not mediate these changes. Subjective QoL deserves consideration as an important theoretical construct in forensic treatment and the Lancashire QoL Profile is sensitive to change during such treatment. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.