DOES PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT PREDICT QUALITY OF LIFE IN PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS?

The present study examined the predictive relationship of perceived social-support with quality of life and its subcomponents in psychiatric patients. After detailed literature review it was hypothesized that lack of social support would predict low quality of life in psychiatric patients. Sample consists of 115 participants with mental illnesses. The age range of participants was between 20-65 years, the minimum qualification was middle. Semi-structured interview form, Urdu versions of multidimensional scale of perceived social support and WHO quality of life were used. Regression analysis was applied to investigate the predictive relationship of perceived social support with quality of life. Results revealed that social support as perceived by mentally ill patients predicts the quality of life.