Cross-national comparability of the WHOQOL-BREF: a measurement invariance approach.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether the WHOQOL-BREF measures the QOL construct in the same way across nations.


METHODS
Students from Flanders, Belgium and Iran completed the WHOQOL-BREF as part of a larger Quality of Life questionnaire. Their responses were compared using a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.


RESULTS
In general, the QOL construct appears rather similar in both cultures; however, participants from both countries seem to respond differently to particular items of the WHOQOL-BREF. Especially for the physical and psychological domain, this is problematic, because none of their indicators works in the same way across samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Notwithstanding some limitations of this study, it must be concluded that the WHOQOL-BREF should only be used with great caution in cross-national comparisons.
Theuns
Peter
P
Vakgroep Experimentele en Toegepaste Psychologie, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, EXTO, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium. Peter.Theuns@vub.ac.be
Hofmans
Joeri
J
Mazaheri
Mehrdad
M
Van Acker
Frederik
F
Bernheim
Jan L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003469:Culture; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult