Stability and change in subjective quality of life of adolescents in secure residential care

Abstract

Subjective quality of life (QoL) is an outcome measure often used in the field of psychiatry. While upcoming strength-based rehabilitation theories place strong emphasis on subjective QoL, it has hardly ever been investigated in adolescents with severe psychiatric problems who are admitted to secure residential care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the stability and change of subjective QoL of adolescents with severe psychiatric problems. Additionally, the effect of discharge and re-entering society on subjective QoL was studied. In a four-wave longitudinal study, the subjective QoL of 172 male adolescents with severe psychiatric problems was examined. Five subjective QoL domains remained stable over time, while five other domains changed. A decrease in satisfaction with family relations and social participation was observed for discharged adolescents. These results warrant for continuing guidance of adolescents in order for them to positively adapt to a new life outside secure residential care.

Keywords:

• subjective quality of life
• discharge
• rehabilitation
• stability and change
• adolescents
• secure residential care

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all participating institutions for their cooperation in this project and for the adolescents who were willing to participate. In addition, the authors thank Lenneke Vugs MSc for her help in the data coordination and data collection. We also wish to thank all the research interns for their help in the data collection. This study was funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw): 157.003.004. The authors complied with the APA ethical standards and, prior to the start of the study, the medical ethics committee for mental health institutions in the Netherlands provided approval (Ref. no: NL29932.097.09 CCMO).

Conflict of interest

None of the authors has a conflict of interest in the conduct and reporting of this study.