Quality of Life Research Call for Papers

“Quality of life dimensions in people living with mental disorders: moving beyond global scores”

Submissions are now open.

The Editors of Quality of Life Research are planning a special issue to increase the awareness of and reliance on the multidimensional nature of health-related quality of life and quality of life ((HR)QoL) by moving beyond global (HR)QoL scores, both in research as well as applied (clinical) settings.

The World Health Organization’s 65th World Health Assembly stated that the global burden of mental disorders accounts for 25–33% of all disabilities and highlighted the substantial impact on family members and carers. 

The WHO’s “Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2030” stresses the lack of adequate health service provision in this area. Research into evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions and mental health services often focus on measures of symptom severity as key outcomes. But policy agendas as well as patients’ views suggest considering impacts beyond pure symptom load including a broad range of experience and a consideration of a dimension of “recovery”. The assessment of (HR)QoL and interventions targeting these constructs have been articulated as a way to improve treatment outcomes during mental health service provision.

The editors are interested in receiving submissions of research and clinical practice using nuanced approaches to (HR)QoL in people living with mental disorders. The editors envisage that such papers will increase our understanding of (HR)QoL in diverse settings and samples, which may also prompt the reshaping of interventions and services to target specific (HR)QoL deficits or increase capabilities.