title: Psychometric validation of the S-QoL Chinese (Taiwan) version for patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: We translated the S-QoL into the Chinese (Taiwan) language and evaluated the score distributions of the translated S-QoL in terms of ceiling/floor effect, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. To ensure conceptual and semantic equivalence of the S-QoL, the researchers performed both forward translation and back translation, consulted professionals, and completed a pilot trial on college students. Forty-one patients with schizophrenia were recruited. No significant ceiling/floor effects (<20%) were found in subscales of the translated S-QoL. The internal consistency reliabilities were acceptable to good for the whole scale and 7 of the subscales (Cronbach's alpha = 0.71-0.93), but not for the sentimental life subscale (Cronbach's alpha = 0.44). The test-retest reliabilities were moderate to high (ICC = 0.64-87, P < 0.001 to <0.0001). The convergent validities were supported by satisfactory correlations among subscales measuring related constructs of the translated S-QoL and those of the SQLS-R4, WHOQoL-BREF, and RESE (r = 0.36-0.82, P < 0.05 to <0.01). Discriminant validity was demonstrated between groups with different numbers of episodes and hospitalization. The S-QoL Chinese (Taiwan) version was found to have good psychometrics and is suggested as a feasible choice of disease-specific measure for capturing HRQoL in patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Yeh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Mi-Chia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tsung-Tsair
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mei-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chen-Sea
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology