Hopelessness and life satisfaction in patients with serious mental disorders: A cross-sectional study

The main purpose of treatment and management in chronic mental disorders is to improve the quality of life (QOL). Hopelessness indicates a significant cognitive vulnerability that is associated with suicide risk. It is important for clinicians to have information about their patients' life satisfaction and spirituality. This study was conducted to determine hopelessness and life satisfaction in patients who received service from a community mental health center (CMHC).

This cross-sectional study was conducted with patients diagnosed with psychosis (n=66) and bipolar disorder (n=24) according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) criteria, at a community mental health center serving in a hospital located in eastern Turkiye. Data was collected by a psychiatrist between January and May 2019 with face-to-face interviews, using a questionnaire, Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).

In the study, it was found that the mean BHS and SWLS scores of the patients did not differ significantly between the diagnosis groups (p>0.05). A moderately negative correlation was found between the patients' mean BHS and SWLS scores (rs=-0.450, p<0.001). In addition, it was determined that the hopelessness level of the secondary school graduates was low (p<0.05), the mean BHS score increased as the age and time from diagnosis of the patients increased (p<0.001), and there was a low negative correlation between the time from diagnosis and the mean SWLS score (rs: -0.208; p<0.05).

In this study, it was found that the hopelessness level of the patients was low, their life satisfaction was moderate, and as the hopelessness level increased, their life satisfaction decreased. In addition, it was determined that the hopelessness and life satisfaction levels of the patients did not differ by to the diagnosis groups. It is extremely important for mental health professionals to consider aspects such as hope and life satisfaction, which are key in the recovery of patients.