The effects of atypical antipsychotic medications on psychosocial outcomes.

This review examines the question--Do atypical antipsychotic medications improve psychosocial outcomes?--by examining studies that compared the effects of atypicals to conventional antipsychotics or to other atypical medications. The authors reviewed randomized clinical trials of atypical antipsychotic medication that included psychosocial variables as outcomes. Findings from 31 published studies on more than 12,000 individuals generally showed that atypical medications led to significant improvements in negative symptoms compared to conventional antipsychotics. Effects on global assessment of psychosocial functioning and on the quality of life were mixed with only about half the studies reporting significant improvements. Olanzapine yielded the best results on psychosocial functioning; remoxipride was found to yield few significant changes on these variables. This review provides evidence that some atypical antipsychotics may have direct effects on some of the psychosocial disabilities that result from serious mental illness.