A Preliminary Study on Korean version of the SmithKline Beecham Quality of Life Scale(KvSBQOL)

Yoon, Jin Sang; Kook, Seung Hee; Lee, Moo Suk

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The SmithKline Beecham' Quality of Life's scale(SBQOL) by Dunbar et at. was developed in an attempt to produce a valid scale which would be justice to the complexity of human experience which constitutes perceived Quality of life. This study was attempted to verify the reliability and validity of the Korean version of SBQOL(KvSBQOL).
METHODS
KvSBQOL was administered to 377 university students. Subjects were asked to rate the same 23 items in the aspect of three states, i.e., 'self now'-as they felt at present: 'ideal self-how they would feel as their ideal person: 'sick self-how they would feel as a person who is sick or unwell. The distribution and the differences of KvSBQOL for three mental sets, as well as the split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency for the self now were assessed. For the evaluation of concurrent validity, the Stress Questionnaire(SQ) and Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire(EPQ) were employed as the external criterion. Construct validity was assessed by examining the relationship between the inter-element differences and the scores of other scales: Somatization(SOM) of SCL-90-R(Symptom Checklist-90-Revision), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) and Internal-External Control Scale(I-E Scale). And then, common factor analyses with varimax rotation and multiple regression analyses were carried out.
RESULTS
The element score of self-now was normally distributed, that of ideal self was significantly negatively skewed, and that of sick self was significantly positively skewed. The significant inter-element differences(ideal self/self now, ideal self/sick self, self now/sick self) were found. The split-half reliability(.83), test-retest reliability(.84), and internal consistency(Cronbach alpha, .898) were found to be high. The inter-element distance(ideal self and self now) of the KvSBQOL score was positively correlated with the SQ score and neuroticism score of EPQ, while negatively correlated with extroversion score of EPQ. The inter-element distance showed significant correlations with SOM of SCL-90-R, BDI, STAI, 1-E Scale scores. Factor analysis of 23 items resulted in a five factor solution accounting for 34.24% of total explained variance. The five factors were interpreted as competence, psychological well-being, stability, physical well-being, and activity. The severity of somatization, depression, anxiety and external control contributed to five factors of KvSBQOL.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings confirmed the high reliability and validity of KvSBQOL and suggest the possibility that KvSBQOL could be a useful measure of QOL in patients with psychiatric disorders.