OBJECTIVE: This study examined the construct validity, and improved the test reliability and the estimation accuracy for the correlation between domains of the WHOQOL-BREF using multidimensional Rasch analysis. METHOD: A total of 13,083 adults were administered the 28-item WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version, which consists of 4 subscales (domains). The multidimensional form of the partial credit model was used to examine the fit of the 4 subscales. For comparison, each subscale individually was also fitted to the unidimensional partial credit model. Standard item fit statistics and analysis of differential item functioning (DIF) were used to check model-data fit. RESULTS: After excluding 2 overall items and deleting 7 DIF items, the remaining items of each subscale in the WHOQOL-BREF constituted a single construct. The test reliabilities and correlations between domains obtained from the multidimensional approach, (0.82-0.86) and (0.79-0.89), respectively, were much higher than those obtained from the unidimensional approach, (0.67-0.75) and (0.53-0.65), respectively. CONCLUSION: The 19-item WHOQOL-BREF measures more succinct latent traits than the original design. The multidimensional approach yields not only more accurate estimates for the correlation between domains but also substantially higher reliabilities, than the standard unidimensional approach.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the construct validity, and improved the test reliability and the estimation accuracy for the correlation between domains of the WHOQOL-BREF using multidimensional Rasch analysis. METHOD: A total of 13,083 adults were administered the 28-item WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version, which consists of 4 subscales (domains). The multidimensional form of the partial credit model was used to examine the fit of the 4 subscales. For comparison, each subscale individually was also fitted to the unidimensional partial credit model. Standard item fit statistics and analysis of differential item functioning (DIF) were used to check model-data fit. RESULTS: After excluding 2 overall items and deleting 7 DIF items, the remaining items of each subscale in the WHOQOL-BREF constituted a single construct. The test reliabilities and correlations between domains obtained from the multidimensional approach, (0.82-0.86) and (0.79-0.89), respectively, were much higher than those obtained from the unidimensional approach, (0.67-0.75) and (0.53-0.65), respectively. CONCLUSION: The 19-item WHOQOL-BREF measures more succinct latent traits than the original design. The multidimensional approach yields not only more accurate estimates for the correlation between domains but also substantially higher reliabilities, than the standard unidimensional approach.
Authors: Christian U Krägeloh; Paula Kersten; D Rex Billington; Patricia Hsien-Chuan Hsu; Daniel Shepherd; Jason Landon; Xuan Joanna Feng Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2012-09-15 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Sareh Keshavarzi; Seyyed Mohammad Taghi Ayatollahi; Najaf Zare; Farkhondeh Sharif Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2012-08-18 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Tsair-Wei Chien; Shun-Jin Lin; Wen-Chung Wang; Henry W C Leung; Wen-Pin Lai; Agnes L F Chan Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2010-07-13 Impact factor: 3.186