From hospital admission to independent living: is prediction possible?

An integral component of recovery from mental illness is being able to engage in everyday activities. This ability is often restricted among people with schizophrenia. Although functional deficits are addressed during hospitalization, the ability to predict daily functioning based on information gathered during hospitalization has not been well established. This study examines whether measurements completed during hospitalization can be useful for predicting independent living within the community. Inpatients with schizophrenia (N=104) were enrolled in the study and assessed for cognitive functioning, functional capacity and symptoms. They were approached again 6 months after discharge to evaluate their functioning with respect to everyday life Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) and Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Functional capacity during hospitalization predicted 26.8% of ADL functioning and 38.8% of IADL functioning. ADL was best predicted by the severity of negative symptoms, cognitive functioning, and the number of hospitalizations (51.2%), while IADL was best predicted by functional capacity, cognition, and number of hospitalizations (60.1%). This study provides evidence that evaluations during hospitalization can be effective, and demonstrates the advantage of a holistic approach in predicting daily functioning. When a holistic approach is not practical, a functional capacity measurement may serve as an effective predictor.