Longitudinal measurement invariance of the international spinal cord injury quality of life basic data set (SCI‑QoL‑BDS) during spinal cord injury/disorder inpatient rehabilitation

Quality of Life Research, 2022 · DOI: 10.1007/s11136-021-03027-5 · Published: November 3, 2021

Spinal Cord Injury Participation Mental Health

Simple Explanation

This study aimed to assess the consistency and validity of a short questionnaire, the SCI-QoL-BDS, used to measure the quality of life in people with spinal cord injuries during their initial rehabilitation in the hospital. The study checked if the questionnaire measured the same aspects of quality of life consistently over time during rehabilitation. This is important to ensure that changes in scores reflect real changes in quality of life, not just differences in how people interpret the questions. The findings suggest that the SCI-QoL-BDS is generally a reliable tool, but there might be a shift in how patients perceive their physical health satisfaction during the early stages of rehabilitation, which should be considered when interpreting the results.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

218 individuals with spinal cord injury/disorder

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The SCI-QoL-BDS demonstrated good internal consistency across all measurement time points during inpatient rehabilitation.
2
The factor structure and factor loadings of the SCI-QoL-BDS were invariant over time, indicating that the items consistently represent the same underlying QoL construct.
3
Partial intercept invariance was observed, with satisfaction with physical health showing a response shift in the early phase of inpatient rehabilitation.

Research Summary

This study examined the internal consistency and longitudinal measurement invariance of the SCI-QoL-BDS, a brief quality of life questionnaire, among individuals with SCI/D undergoing first inpatient rehabilitation. The results indicated good internal consistency and invariance of the factor structure and factor loadings across time. However, partial intercept invariance was found, with satisfaction with physical health showing a response shift early in rehabilitation. The authors recommend using latent variable frameworks instead of mean scores when examining longitudinal changes in QoL during early rehabilitation to account for the observed response shift in satisfaction with physical health.

Practical Implications

Clinical Practice

The SCI-QoL-BDS can be used to assess QoL in individuals with SCI/D during inpatient rehabilitation, providing valuable information for care planning and evaluation.

Longitudinal Studies

Researchers should use latent variable frameworks instead of mean scores when examining longitudinal changes in QoL, particularly during the early stages of rehabilitation, to account for potential response shift.

Future Research

Further qualitative studies are needed to understand the temporal differences in how individuals with SCI/D evaluate their satisfaction with physical health and the potential recalibration response shift.

Study Limitations

1
The study focused on the inpatient rehabilitation period, limiting the generalizability of the findings to community settings.
2
The post hoc investigation of partial invariance at the intercept level was a data-driven approach, subject to capitalization on chance.
3
A minor selection bias was identified in the study sample, potentially affecting the representativeness of the findings.

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