Longitudinal Changes in Subjective Well‐Being and Loneliness in Parkinson's Disease and Focal/Segmental Craniocervical Dystonia

BACKGROUND: The longitudinal changes of subjective well-being (SWB) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and focal/segmental craniocervical dystonia (FSCD) are poorly understood. METHODS: Fifty-three people with PD and 41 with FSCD completed questionnaires assessing various aspects of SWB (subjective happiness, hope, meaning in life, life satisfaction) and loneliness at baseline and one year later. RESULTS: Subjective happiness, life satisfaction and loneliness did not change over the one year follow-up period. Hope agency decreased in PD (P < 0.001) and increased in FSCD (P = 0.026). Presence of meaning in life increased for FSCD (P = 0.021), accompanied by a decrease in search for meaning in life in this group (P = 0.041). Both domains remained stable in PD. CONCLUSIONS: In PD and FSCD, SWB and loneliness were generally stable over one year, but there were disease-specific changes in certain domains of SWB (hope, meaning in life). Further longitudinal studies with longer follow-up periods are needed.