Examining the relationship between global and domain measures of quality of life by three factor structure models
Journal
Social Indicators Research
Journal Volume
84
Journal Issue
2
Pages
189-202
Date Issued
2007
Author(s)
Wu, C.-H.
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between global and domain measures of quality of life from a psychometric perspective by three different factor structure models. Three hundred and four students at National Taiwan University participated in this study. They completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS, a global measurement for quality of life) and the WHOQOL-BREF (a domain-specific measurement for quality of life). Three models were specified to examine the relationships among scores of the SWLS and the WHOQOL-BREF. The first model was a common factor model in which scores of the SWLS and the WHOQOL-BREF were all influenced by a single factor. The second model was a correlated two-factor model in which scores of the SWLS were influenced by one factor and scores of the WHOQOL-BREF influenced by another factor, with these two factors being allowed to be correlated. The third model was a three-factor model, in which one factor (representing quality of life) influenced the scores of the SWLS and the WHOQOL-BREF, another factor (representing global approach) only influenced the scores of the SWLS, and yet another factor (representing domain approach) only influenced the scores of the WHOQOL-BREF. The results showed that the third model was the best, suggesting that global measures (the SWLS) and domain measures (the WHOQOL-BREF) did assess the same construct on quality of life, however, the measurement approaches they adopted (global or domain approach) also have substantial impact on the meaning of scores. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007.
Type
journal article