The relations between socio-demographic information and negative symptoms, mental health, and quality of life: a latent profile analysis with psychotic patients in Kosovo

Fitim Uka; Jon Konjufca; Fjolla Ramadani; Aliriza Arënliu; Dashamir Bërxulli; Nikolina Jovanović; Manuela Russo

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1135385

The relations between socio-demographic information and negative symptoms, mental health, and quality of life: a latent profile analysis with psychotic patients in Kosovo

Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 26:14:1135385. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1135385. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Fitim Uka¹, Jon Konjufca¹, Fjolla Ramadani¹, Aliriza Arënliu¹, Dashamir Bërxulli¹, Nikolina Jovanović², Manuela Russo²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Pristina "Hasan Prishtina", Prishtina, Kosovo.
² Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.

Abstract

The current study aims to identify meaningful psychotic patients' profiles by examining certain combinations of patient's demographic and socio-economic variables (sex, age, marital status, number of children, cohabitant and level of education). Moreover, we aim to assess whether there is any significant effect of class membership (profile) on negative symptoms, health state, and quality of life among psychotic patients. A convenience sample of 103 patients (age: M = 22, SD = 1.75), was drawn from the clinical populations of Kosovo. Demographic and socio-economic data was obtained through individual interviews, meanwhile a battery of questionnaires was used to assess negative symptoms, mental health, and quality of life of patients. The 4-class solution was selected as the best fitting model and used in subsequent analyses. Results indicated a significant effect of class membership on health state, quality of life and negative symptoms. Practical implications are discussed.

Keywords: Kosovo; latent profile analysis (LPA); mental health; negative symptoms; psychosis; socio-demographic information.