Dynamics of non-specific quality of life in volunteers with neurotic and stress-related mental disorders before and after a corrective-therapeutic program

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study on the dynamics of non-specific quality of life in volunteers with neurotic and stress-related mental disorders before and after completion of a corrective-therapeutic program. The study included 288 volunteers aged 18 to 60 years (mean age 27.10 ± 8.36), who were divided into three groups: an experimental group (40 participants), a control group (42 participants), and a reference group (206 participants). The experimental group underwent a program that combined pharmacological treatment with a low-intensity psychological intervention, Problem Management Plus. The control group received standard treatment, while the reference group consisted of volunteers without signs of mental disorders. Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item (SF-36). At baseline, quality of life indicators in volunteers with mental disorders were significantly lower across all scales compared to the reference group. In particular, on the Physical Functioning scale, mean values were 89.1 ± 6.6 in the experimental group and 89.3 ± 6.7 in the control group, both lower than 95.5 ± 6.5 in the reference group. Three months after the program, the score in the experimental group increased to 98.7 ± 2.7, exceeding the reference level (p = 0.003), while the control group reached 94.6 ± 4.5. On the Role-Physical scale, scores in the experimental group improved from 71.4 ± 13.7 to 92.3 ± 6.6, surpassing the reference group (p < 0.001), whereas the control group showed a less pronounced increase to 78.8 ± 12.6. Marked improvements were also observed in psychological domains. The Role-Emotional score in the experimental group increased from 39.4 ± 13.8 to 79.3 ± 8.0, exceeding the reference level (72.4 ± 17.7; p < 0.001), while remaining lower in the control group. Vitality increased from 33.6 ± 10.1 to 64.1 ± 5.8 in the experimental group, higher than the reference group (58.1 ± 11.6; p < 0.001), whereas the control group achieved only 45.8 ± 8.3. On the Mental Health scale, the experimental group improved from 40.4 ± 8.9 to 70.0 ± 7.3, reaching a level comparable to the reference group (65.6 ± 13.6; p = 0.053), while the control group remained significantly lower (47.5 ± 10.6; p < 0.001). Similar positive dynamics in the experimental group were observed on other scales: Social Functioning increased to 88.5 ± 7.2, surpassing the reference group (77.5 ± 18.1; p < 0.001); Bodily Pain reached 100 ± 0.0, higher than the control group (93.1 ± 9.2; p < 0.001); and General Health increased to 73.1 ± 8.3, comparable to the reference group (70.0 ± 15.0; p = 0.220). In the control group, quality of life indicators also improved, but the changes were less pronounced, and even after three months, most scales remained lower than those of the reference group. The obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of combining pharmacological treatment with the Problem Management Plus psychological intervention in improving the non-specific quality of life of volunteers exposed to stress factors during wartime. The application of the comprehensive program contributed not only to the normalization of quality of life but also to exceeding the levels of healthy respondents in several domains. Further research should focus on evaluating the long-term effects of this intervention and the potential for its broad implementation within psychosocial support systems for volunteers.