Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Psychometric Properties of the WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire among Disabled Students in Malaysian Higher Learning Institutions

  • Published:
Applied Research in Quality of Life Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate reliability, internal consistency and dimensional structure of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) among disabled students. The study covers 127 disabled students studying in public universities, 26 in private universities, 109 in polytechnic and 19 studying in community colleges. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Abbreviation (WHOQOL-BREF) has been used to assess QOL. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha (α) and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Alpha scores greater than or equal to 0.6 are considered to denote acceptable and adequate internal consistency. Correlation matrix also showed satisfactory results in all domains. Factor analysis was carried out using the principal components method with varimax rotation to examine the dimensional structure of the questionnaire. This study has provided some preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the WHOQOL-BREF to be used for evaluating quality of life among disabled students.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

QOL:

Quality of Life

WHOQOL-BREF:

The World Health Organization Quality of Life Abbreviation

References

  • Arthur, D., Tong, W., Chen, C., Hing, A., Sagara-Rosemeyer, M., Kua, E., et al. (2008). The validity and reliability of four measures of gambling behaviour in a sample of singapore university students. Journal of Gambling Studies, 24(4), 451–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins,R.A. (1997). comprehensive quality of life scale-adult. School of Psychology. Deakin University.

  • Department of Statistics (2013). Retrieved May 6,2013, from http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/index.php?lang=en

  • Ferrans, C., & Powers, M. (1985). Quality of life index: development and psychometric properties. Advances in Nursing Science, 8, 15–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grace Yao, C. W. C., Cheng-Fen, Y., & Wang, J.-D. (2002). Development and verification of validity and reliability of the WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, 101, 342–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasanah, C. I., & Razali, M. S. (1999). The pilot study of WHOQOL-100 (Malay version). The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 6, 21–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussain, N., & Bhamani, S. (2012). Development of the student university satisfaction scale: reliability and validity. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(3), 332–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamarulzaman, K. (2007). Adult learning for people with disabilities in Malaysia: provisions and services. The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, 3(2).

  • Lijiang Li, D. Y., Xiou, S., Zhaou, X., & Xiou, L. (2004). Psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-100 in patients with chronic diseases and their caregivers in China. Buletin of World Health Organization, 82(7).

  • Mubarak, A. R., Baba, I., Chin, L. H., & Hoe, Q. S. (2003). Quality of life of community-based chronic schizophrenis patients in Penang, Malaysia. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 37, 577–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nedjat, S., Montazeri, A., Holakouie, K., Mohammad, K., & Majdzadeh, R. (2008). Psychometric properties of the Iranian interview-administered version of the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF): a population-based study. BMC Health Services Research, 8(61).

  • Sararaks, S., Rugayah, B., Azman, A. B. , Karuthan, C., Low, L. L. (2001). Quality of Life · How Do Malaysian Asthmatics Fare? Medicine Journal Malaysia 56(3).

  • Sekaran, U. (2000). Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, John Wiley and Sons.

  • Skevington, S. M., Loftfy, M., & O’Connell, K. (2004). The World Health Organization’s WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment: Psychometric properties and results of the international field trial: a report from the WHOQOL Group. Quality of Life Research, 13, 299–310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsutsumi, A., Izutsu, T., Kato, S., Islam, M. D. A., Yamada, H., Kato, H., et al. (2006). Reliability and validity of the Bangla version of WHOQOL-BREF in an adult population in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 60(493–498).

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nation (2013). History of Disability and United Nations. Retrieved May 6,2013, from www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=121

  • Usefy, A. R., Ghassemi, G. R., Sarrafzadegan, N., Malik, S., Baghaei, A. M., & Rabiei, K. (2010). Psychometric Properties of the WHOQOL-BREF in an Iranian Adult Sample. Community Mental Health Journal, 46(2), 139–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan Puteh, S. E., Aljunid, S. M., Ng, P., & Mohd Nor, R. (2009). Quality of life among preinvasive & invasive cervical cancer in malaysia. Asean Journal of Psychiatry, 10(2).

  • Webster, J., Nicholas, C., Velacott, C., Cridland, N., & Fawcett, L. (2010). Validation of the WHOQOL-BREF among women following childbirth. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 50(132–137).

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2011). World report of disability. World Bank

  • WHOQOL-BREF. (1996). Introduction, administration, scoring and generic version of the assessment. Field trial version. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHOQOL-Group. (1998). The WHO Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL): development and general psychometric properties. Social Science & Medicine, 46(1569–1585).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Asia-Europe Institute, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Nur Fatihah Abdullah Bandar & Mohd Aminul Karim

  2. Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Rohana Jani

Authors
  1. Nur Fatihah Abdullah Bandar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rohana Jani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohd Aminul Karim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nur Fatihah Abdullah Bandar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Abdullah Bandar, N.F., Jani, R. & Karim, M.A. Psychometric Properties of the WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire among Disabled Students in Malaysian Higher Learning Institutions. Applied Research Quality Life 9, 469–478 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-013-9244-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-013-9244-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation