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The Relationship Between Social Dysfunctioning and Psychopathology among Primary Care Attenders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Tamar D. Wohlfarth ,
Wim Van Den Brink ,
Johan Ormel ,
Maarten W. J. Koeter  and
Albertine J. Oldehinkel
Tamar D. Wohlfarth
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Wim Van Den Brink*
Affiliation:
Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, Jacob Obrechtstraat 92, 1071 KR Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Johan Ormel
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Maarten W. J. Koeter
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Albertine J. Oldehinkel
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

The extent of social dysfunctioning and its relationship to psychological disorders among Dutch primary care patients was examined. Social dysfunctioning in these patients was rather limited, but was more pronounced in patients with a psychological disorder than in those without. Disabilities were largely restricted to the occupational and social roles, with family role functioning and self-care relatively intact. Social dysfunctioning was moderately related to psychopathology, with higher levels of dysfunctioning in more severe and depressed cases. The extent of social dysfunctioning among patients with both anxiety and depression was similar to that of patients with a single diagnosis of depression. Depressed patients had a similar level of dysfunctioning to non-psychotic psychiatric out-patients. Analyses regarding the effects of diagnosis and severity on social dysfunctioning revealed considerable overlap between these two aspects of psychopathology. This study supports the need for a simultaneous but separate assessment of psychopathology and social dysfunctioning. However, future research should incorporate additional predictors of social dysfunctioning (e.g. personality, life events, long-term difficulties, physical disorders), and prospective studies should be conducted to clarify the temporal sequences of symptom severity, diagnosis, and comorbidity on the one hand, and social dysfunctioning on the other.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 163 , Issue 1 , July 1993 , pp. 37 - 44
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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