title: [The complexity of the concept oral health-related quality of life].
abstract: The methods uses most often for developing and analyzing questionnaires, such as the explorative factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha, presume that psychological constructs are latent (imperceptible) and that there is a reflective-measurement model with the underlying assumption of local independence. Local independence means that the latent variable explains why the variables observed are related. Many questionnaires for measuring oral health-related quality of life are analyzed as if they were based on a reflective-measurement model assuming local independence. This assumption requires these questionnaires to contain solely items reflecting instead of determining oral health-related quality of life. The tenability of this assumption is questionable.
authors.affiliation: Uit de sectie Sociale Tandheelkunde, Afdeling Conserverende en Preventieve, Tandheelkunde van het Academisch Centrum, Tandheelkunde Amsterdam. j.kieffer@acta.nl
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kieffer
authors.forename: G H W
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Verrips
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoogstraten
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D009626:Terminology as Topic