Occupational competence, environmental support and quality of life for people with depression: A path analysis

People with depression suffer from persistent psychosocial and occupational impairments and diminished quality of life after recovering from acute episodes. The purpose of this study was to identify the links and pathways between these factors and examine their impact on quality of life for people with depression. One hundred and three subjects completed measures assessing their depression severity, level of anxiety, self care, occupational competence, and environmental support. Path analysis was utilized to decompose the interrelationship among variables. The results showed that the depression severity, occupational competence, and environmental support had direct or indirect effects, or both, on quality of life. The three largest direct effects were depression severity on quality of life and on occupational competence, as well as occupational competence on environmental support. The depression severity and environmental support directly affected quality of life, while the occupational competence had an indirect effect on quality of life, through the environmental support. Additionally, the depression severity had indirect effects on quality of life, through the occupational competence and the environmental support. The three largest total effects on quality of life were the depression severity (-.7526), environmental support (.2307), and occupational competence (.1049). In addition to treatment of depression symptom, there are needs for professionals to provide opportunities for the people with depression to engage in occupations to enhance occupational competence and obtain environmental support.