A study of the quality of life of the severely mentally ill.

As part of a larger study, the Lehman Quality of Life Interview (QOLI) was conducted a total of 85 times with 55 clients with serious mental illness. Results revealed widespread adverse objective circumstances (unemployment, poverty and social isolation) despite which most clients rated their satisfaction levels about average (about equally satisfied and dissatisfied). As expected, subjective quality of life indicators were generally better predictors of global well-being (GWB) (itself based on subjective ratings) than were objective indicators. Correlations between objective and subjective indicators were very low and insignificant. Moderate relationships were found between GWB and levels of personal functioning, and changes in levels of personal functioning, as rated by mental health workers. Retests showed that subjective quality of life was relatively stable over intervals of several months. The findings suggest that leisure and social relations would be suitable areas for interventions that might improve clients' quality of life.