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Aim: To validate the Slovenian version (SOC-13-SVN) of Sense of Coherence 13-item instrument (SOC-13) in Slovenian multiple sclerosis (MS) patients., Methods: A consecutive 134 Slovenian MS patients were enrolled in a cross-sectional study in 2013. The reliability of the SOC-13-SVN was assessed for internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α), dimensionality by the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and criterion validity by Pearson correlation coefficient (r) between SOC-13-SVN global score and MSQOL-54 composite scores - Mental Health Composite score (MHC) and Physical Health Composite score (PHC)., Results: For the SOC-13-SVN instrument as a whole, internal consistency was high (α total =0.88) while it was low for three subscales (α comprehensibility =0.79; α manageability =0.66; α meaningfulness =0.69). The results of the CFA confirmed a three-factor structure with good fit (RMSEA=0.059, CFI=0.953, SRMR=0.065), however, the correlations between the factors were very high (r comprehensibility/manageability =0.938; r comprehensibility/meaningfulness =0.811; r manageability/meaningfulness =0.930). The criterion validity analysis showed a moderate positive strength of relationship between SOC-13-SVN global score and both MSQOL-54 composite scores (MHC: r=0.597, p<0.001; PHC: r=0.437, p<0.001)., Conclusion: Analysis of some psychometric properties confirmed that this instrument is a reliable and valid tool for use in Slovenian MS patients. Despite the three-dimensional structure of the instrument, the use of the global summary score is encouraged due to the low reliability of the subscale scores and high correlations between them., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Purpose: To cross-culturally adapt and validate Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54) instrument., Methods: The study which enrolled 134 Slovenian multiple sclerosis (MS) patients was conducted from March to December 2013. The internal consistency of the MSQOL-54 instrument was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α), and its dimensionality assessed by the principal component analysis (PCA)., Results: The whole instrument had high internal consistency (α=0.88), as well as the majority of its twelve subscales (α=0.83-0.94). The results of the PCA showed two components with eigenvalue greater than 1, explaining 59.4% of the cumulative variance. Further results indicated good construct validity of the instrument with the physical health-related-quality-of-life subscales loading highly on the physical component, and mental health-related-quality-of-life subscales loading highly on the mental component., Conclusion: The Slovenian version of the MSQOL-54 instrument proved to be an internally consistent and accurate tool, well accepted by the Slovenian MS patients. The adequate psychometric properties warrant the scientifically sound version of the MSQOL-54 instrument, which is from now on at disposal to all health professionals dealing with MS patients in Slovenia., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.