Effects of subjective and psychological well - being on the therapeutic outcomes at a day hospital

Abstract

Background. Well-being is a multidimensional construct that includes the hedonic well-being focused on the achievement of pleasure and eudaimonic well-being as realization of human potentials. The main objective of this study was to determine whether the level of well-being of patients on admission could predict the decreased level of psychopathology when are discharged in a Day Hospital. Method. Ex post facto prospective study of 56 patients was performed with severe mental illness who were admitted to the Day Hospital using the Spanish version of the CORE-OM (Evans et al., 2000), PANAS (Watson et al., 1988), SWLS (Pavot y Diener, 1993) and SPWB (Ryff, 1989) scales. Results. Patients discharged significantly improved in level of psychopathology. None subscale, neither hedonic nor eudaimonic scales predicted significant part of the outcome variables measures such as malaise, psychopathological symptoms, vital dysfunction, risk of self or heteroaggression or a total score of all such variables. Only eudaimonic welfare in its overall score, not the hedonic well-being, was the one who explained significant part of the results at discharge. Conclusion. Positive psychology through improving psychological well-being seems useful for reducing psychopathology in patients with severe mental disorders that are referred to the Day Hospital.