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Validity of an abbreviated Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-18) for schizophrenia, schizoaffective,and mood disorder patients

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Abstract

We sought to identify a core subset of Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) items that maintains the validity and psychometric properties of the basic version. A parsimonious subset of items from the Q-LES-Q that can accurately predict the basic Q-LES-Q domain mean scores was sought and evaluated in 339 inpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and mood disorders. Three additional data sets were used for validation. Assessments included Q-LES-Q, Quality of Life Scale, Lancashire Quality of Life Profile, rating scales for psychopathology, medication side effects, and self-reported emotional distress, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social support. We found that 18-items predicted basic Q-LES-Q domains (physical health, subjective feelings, leisure time activities, social relationships) and general index scores with high accuracy. Q-LES-Q-18 showed high reliability, validity, and stability of test-retest ratings. Thus, Q-LES-Q-18, a brief, self-administered questionnaire may aid in monitoring quality of life outcomes of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and mood disorder patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sha’ar Menashe Mental Health Center, Mobile Post Hefer 38814, Hadera, Israel

    Michael Ritsner, Rena Kurs, Anatoly Gibel & Yael Ratner

  2. Columbia University, New York, USA

    Jean Endicott

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  1. Michael Ritsner
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  2. Rena Kurs
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  3. Anatoly Gibel
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  4. Yael Ratner
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  5. Jean Endicott
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Correspondence to Michael Ritsner.

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Ritsner, M., Kurs, R., Gibel, A. et al. Validity of an abbreviated Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-18) for schizophrenia, schizoaffective,and mood disorder patients. Qual Life Res 14, 1693–1703 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-005-2816-9

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