Articles

Structural Equation Model to Predict Subjective Quality of Life: A Comparison of Scales with Different Numerical Anchoring

Abstract

Objective: The main aim of the current survey was to evaluate a hypothesized model on subjective quality of life (SQOL), and to survey the role of scale anchoring on satisfaction and dissatisfaction ratings.
Method: The sample consisted of 456 volunteering students who were randomly assigned in to two different conditions, and rated their current overall life (dis)satisfaction and their (dis)satisfaction on six different domains of life. Each condition used one of the two rating scale formats; the formats differed in anchoring (-5 to +5 and 0 to 10). In order to find how the six different domains of life combine to produce an overall measure of subjective quality of life, a SQOL model was designed; and the strength of this hypothesized model of SQOL was examined using structural equation modeling.
Results:
The results of testing for multiple group invariance of the hypothesized model indicated a cross-validity for the studied model for measuring SQOL. Our results also indicated that comparing the two different response formats, only for scores derived from Horizontal (0 to 10) response format, all the paths in the model were found to be significant.
Conclusion:
The results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) support the conclusion that the proposed model of SQOL fit the data well, and is able to predict SQOL.

O'MuircheartaighCA,GaskellGD,WrightDB. valuatingnumericandverballabelsfor responsescales.Paperpresentedatthe48th AnnualConferenceoftheAmerican AssociationforPublicOpinionResearch,St. Charles,Illinois;1993.

SchwarzN,KnauperB,HipplerHJ,Noelle- NeumannE,ClarkF.Ratingscales:Numeric valuesmaychangethemeaningofscale labels.Public Opin Q 1991;5:570-582.

ScottJ,HuskissonEC.Graphicrepresentation ofpain.Pain 1976; 2:175-184.

Scott J, Huskisson EC. Vertical or horizontal visual analogue scales. Ann Rheum Dis 1979; 38: 560.

Gift AG. Validation of a vertical visual analogue scale as a measure of clinical dyspnea. Rehabil Nurs 1989; 14: 323-325.

Friedman LW, Friedman HH. A Comparison of Vertical and Horizontal Rating Scales, Mid-Atlantic Journal of Business 1994; 30: 107-111.

Paul-Dauphin A, Guillemin F, Virion JM, Briancon S. Bias and precision in visual analogue scales: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Epidemiol 1999; 150: 1117-1127.

Sangster RL, Willits FK, Saltiel J, Lorenze FO, Rockwood TH. The effects of numerical labels on response scales. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Statistical Association, Atlanta, GA; 2001.

Mazaheri M, Theuns P. A Comparison of Different Formats of the Anamnestic Comparative Self Assessment (ACSA) for the Assessment of Subjective Well-being. Patient Reported Outcomes Newsletter 2006; 36: 10-13.

Mazaheri M, Theuns P. Effects of Varying Response Formats on Self-ratings of Life-Satisfaction. Soc Indic Res 2009; 90: 381-395.

Mazaheri M, Theuns P. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction Ratings; Multiple Group Invariance Analysis Across Scales with Different Response Format. Soc Indic Res 2009; 91: 203-221.

French-Lazovik G, Gibson CL. Effects of verbally labeled anchor points on the distributional parameters of rating measures. Appl Psychol Meas 1984; 8: 49-57.

Cummins RA. The Domains of Life Satisfaction: An Attempt to Order Chaos. Soc Indic Res 1996; 38: 303-328.

Headey B, Holmström E, Wearing A. The Impact of Life Events and Changes in Domain Satisfactions on Well-being. Soc Indic Res 1984; 15: 203-227.

Salvatore N, Muñoz Sastre MT. Appraisal of Life: “Area” versus “Dimension” Conceptualizations. Soc Indic Res 2001; 53: 229-255.

Meadow HL, Mentzer JT, Rahtz DR, Sirgy MJ. A Life Satisfaction Measure Based on Judgment Theory. Soc Indic Res 1992; 26: 23-59.

Veenhoven R. Developments in satisfaction research. Soc Indic Res 1996; 37: 1-46.

Rampichini C, D’Andrea SS. A Hierarchical Ordinal Probit Model for the Analysis of life satisfaction in Italy. Soc Indic Res 1997; 44: 41-69.

Diener E. Assessing subjective well-being: Progress and opportunities. Soc Indic Res 1994; 31: 103-157.

Andrews FM, Withey SB. Social Indicators of Well-being: Americans' Perceptions of Life Quality. New York: Plenum Press; 1976.

Campbell A, Converse PE, Rodgers WL. The Quality of American Life: Perceptions, Evaluations, and Satisfactions. New York: Russel Sage Foundation; 1976.

Van Praag B, Frijters P, Ferrer-i-Carbonell A. The Anatomy of Subjective Well-being. J Econ Behav Organ 2003; 51: 29-49.

Diener E, Suh EM, Lucas RE, Smith HL. Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychol Bull 1999; 125: 276-302.

Files
IssueVol 5 No 4 (2010) QRcode
SectionArticles
Keywords
Dissatisfaction Psychometrics Quality of life Satisfaction

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
1.
Mazaheri M. Structural Equation Model to Predict Subjective Quality of Life: A Comparison of Scales with Different Numerical Anchoring. Iran J Psychiatry. 1;5(4):134-139.