Self-reported psychopathological symptoms and quality of life in outpatients with bipolar disorder.

Purpose: Patients with bipolar disorder in a euthymic mood state can suffer from subsyndromal or residual symptoms of depression or hypomania. This study was undertaken to gain insight into the broader spectrum of psychopathological symptoms and quality of life.

Design And Methods: Participants (n = 157) completed the Symptoms Checklist-90, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument-Bref, and a questionnaire addressing demographic and clinical characteristics.

Findings: Outpatients with bipolar disorder reported fewer symptoms of psychopathology than psychiatric outpatients in general, but relative to the general population, a significantly lower quality of life was reported. The number of symptoms showed consistently negative correlations with the quality of life.

Practice Implications: The results of this study urge nurses to not settle for treatment response in terms of reduced manic or depressive episodes, but instead to strive for full remission of all symptoms.