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Domains of quality of life and social support across the trauma spectrum

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To systematically compare specific domains of quality of life and social support as they pertain to the full trauma spectrum of (i) healthy individuals, (ii) those with ongoing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (iii) remitted PTSD, or (iv) those who failed to develop PTSD in spite of trauma exposure.

Methods

Data were from the first wave of a psychiatric epidemiological catchment area study based in Montreal, Canada (N = 2 433). PTSD diagnosis, quality of life, and social support outcomes were established by face-to-face structured interviews using standardized instruments. Outcomes were compared across the four groups.

Results

Although the between-group contrasts suggested that those currently suffering from PTSD generally had a poorer quality of life across domains, the group in remission from PTSD did not. Exploratory analyses concerning subscales for quality of life showed particular impairments for specific domains dependent on PTSD diagnosis, with remitted and ongoing PTSD showing significantly different quality of life for subscales such as daily life/social relationships, spare time activities and autonomy, but similar scores for subscales of housing/neighborhood and personal relationships. Contrary to most previous findings, individuals suffering from PTSD did not report lower overall social support.

Conclusions

For both outcomes of quality of life and social support, longitudinal research is required to fully understand these complex relationships as they evolve along the full trauma spectrum.

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Acknowledgements

The research was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (J.C., A.B., CIHR # CTP-79839), (E.M., CIHR Frederick Banting Doctoral Award); and the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé (A.B., FRQ-S salary award).

Conflict of interest

None.

Ethics

All participants gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. The Research Ethics Board of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute approved the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

    Eva Monson, Alain Brunet & Jean Caron

  2. Douglas Hospital Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Perry Pavilion, Room E-4114, 6875, boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, QC, H4H1R3, Canada

    Eva Monson & Alain Brunet

  3. Douglas Hospital Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Perry Pavilion, Room E-3313, 6875, boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, QC, H4H1R3, Canada

    Jean Caron

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  1. Eva Monson
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  2. Alain Brunet
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Correspondence to Alain Brunet.

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Monson, E., Brunet, A. & Caron, J. Domains of quality of life and social support across the trauma spectrum. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 50, 1243–1248 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-015-1029-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-015-1029-y

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