The concept of quality of life has been a topic of increasing interest in the mental health field for more than two decades. Several instruments have been developed to measure quality of life for individuals living with mental illness; however, the majority of these instruments fail to measure quality of life from the client's perspective. This presentation will present results of a qualitative study that explored what individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and other severe and persistent mental illnesses perceived as important to improving their quality of life.

In-depth interviews and focus groups were used to collect data from more than 50 individuals.

Analysis of the data resulted in the identification of two overarching themes, four domains, several sub components and enablers and barriers to achieving their desired goals. Themes associated with fear of symptoms and stigma were prevalent throughout the data with domains focusing on the challenges of managing the symptoms of the illness, the importance of relationships with a wide range of persons, the acquisition of meaningful occupation and the rebuilding of self esteem.

A discussion of the implications for practice will include the roles that the various professionals can play in assisting individuals in achieving their desired quality of life, as well as the relationship of quality of life with the concepts of recovery, client centered practice and psychiatric rehabilitation.