Back to Search
Start Over
[Subjective quality of life. Critical look at a modern construct].
- Source :
-
Der Nervenarzt [Nervenarzt] 2003 Jan; Vol. 74 (1), pp. 48-54. - Publication Year :
- 2003
-
Abstract
- The scientific usefulness of the popular construct "subjective quality of life"(QoL) is critically investigated in a psychiatric context. Six problem areas were chosen: QoL is rooted in different scientific traditions (area I) and characterized by definitional uncertainty (area II). It is conceptually and empirically confounded with several other psychosocial constructs and lacks clear causal specificity (area III). The operationalization of QoL comprises a great number of heterogeneous instruments (area IV), and there are additional problems created by methodological and statistical issues (area V).Finally, there is no integrative, theoretical model that can be tested empirically in a systematic way (area VI). These problems support the conclusion that subjective QoL is a preparadigmatic or scientifically immature concept which should be applied with caution and under strict methodological standards when used to answer clinically relevant questions.
- Subjects :
- Depressive Disorder psychology
Depressive Disorder therapy
Extraversion, Psychological
Humans
Mental Disorders therapy
Neurotic Disorders psychology
Neurotic Disorders therapy
Personality Inventory statistics & numerical data
Reproducibility of Results
Mental Disorders psychology
Psychometrics statistics & numerical data
Quality of Life psychology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- German
- ISSN :
- 0028-2804
- Volume :
- 74
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Der Nervenarzt
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 12596028
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00115-002-1336-x