Determinants of subjective quality of life in depressed patients: The role of self-esteem, response styles, and social support

Our results suggest that self-esteem, response styles to depressed mood, and social support characteristics contribute substantially to the psychological and social domains of subjective QOL in depressed patients. These associations are not attributable to concurrent symptom severity. Therapy with depressed patients should not only focus on symptom reduction but should help the patients to establish and maintain supportive relationships and to enhance self-appreciation and skills to cope with negative mood in order to improve psychological well-being and health-related quality of life.