Clarifying pathways to poor psychological health: The mediating role of psychosocial factors in the relationship between general psychopathology and quality of life impairment in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia

Abstract

Objectives: The present study examines the latent factor structure of general psychopathology and investigates the mediating role of unmet psychosocial concerns, motivation, and medication side effects in the relationship between general psychopathology and quality of life (QOL) impairment in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 251 patients completed self-report measures of unmet psychosocial concerns, motivation, medication side effects, and physical/mental QOL impairment. The severity of schizophrenia was assessed on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed one latent factor (emotional distress) of general psychopathology. Mediation path analyses controlling for confounding variables revealed significant indirect effects of unmet psychosocial concerns, motivation, and medication side effects on emotional distress and physical/mental QOL impairment. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that identifying optimal methods of managing co-occurring emotional distress as well as secondary psychosocial factors on psychological health may improve QOL among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.