[The social functioning of individuals with various psychiatric disorders].

AIM

The aim of the study was to compare the social functioning of individuals with various psychiatric disorders, as well as finding factors associated with the level of social functioning.

METHOD

Patients (n = 969) from the F2, F3, F4, F5 and F6 diagnostic groups (according to ICD-10) were assessed after admission into one of several European hospitals (observation I), as well as 3 months after discharge (observation II). The Client Sociodemographic and Clinical History Inventory, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, v 4.0 and Groningen Social Disability Schedule were used in the study.

RESULTS

Analysis of partial correlations taking age into account indicated a significant association of the level of social functioning with diagnosis, city, as well as the professional status of a patient and his/her marital status. Taking into account the severity of a condition, the diagnostic group was not associated with the level of social functioning. No association was found between social disability and either sex, education, the number of episodes, psychiatric hospitalisation or duration of the disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

Both during an acute episode and after hospital treatment, patients with personality, eating or schizophrenic disorders functioned less effectively than those having affective or anxiety disorders. The severity of a condition was significantly associated with the level of disability, regardless of the diagnostic group. Married and professionally active patients functioned significantly better.