Development of short versions for the WHOQOL-OLD module

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychometrics
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-OLD) module assesses quality of life in older adults.
• The original WHOQOL-OLD contains 24 items, potentially limiting its use in time-constrained settings.
• Developing shorter versions is crucial for efficient and effective assessment in geriatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and validate short-form versions of the WHOQOL-OLD instrument.
• To identify six-item scales with acceptable psychometric properties for assessing quality of life in older adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a developmental sample (two-thirds) and a validation sample (one-third) from a field study (N=5,566).
• Employed item response theory (IRT), regression analysis (REG), and classical test theory (CTT) to develop three distinct six-item scales.
• Assessed the reliability and criterion validity of the developed short-form scales using the validation sample.

Main Results:

• Three six-item versions of the WHOQOL-OLD were developed.
• Correlation coefficients between the short-form total scores and the original WHOQOL-OLD ranged from .918 to .925.
• Internal consistency reliability coefficients for the three versions were .681, .678, and .649, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The developed short-form WHOQOL-OLD versions offer a significantly reduced item count while retaining essential items.
• These shorter scales demonstrate good internal consistency and criterion validity.
• The validated short-form versions provide a practical and psychometrically sound alternative for quality of life assessment in older adults.