Citation

Jacobsson L, Lexell J. Health Qual. Life Outcomes 2016; 14(1): e10.

Affiliation

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Skåne University Hospital in Lund, Lund, Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12955-016-0405-y

PMID

26769019

PMCID

PMC4714448

Abstract

BACKGROUND: An optimal life satisfaction (LS) is considered an important long-term outcome after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It is, however, not clear to what extent a single instrument captures all aspects of LS, and different instruments may be needed to comprehensively describe LS. The aim of this study was to compare self-ratings of life satisfaction after a TBI with two commonly used instruments.

METHODS: Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11), comprising eleven items and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), comprising five items, were administered to 67 individuals (51 men and 16 women). Secondary analysis of data collected as part of a survey of individuals with TBI 6 to 15 years post TBI.

RESULTS: Item 1 in LiSat-11 ('Life as a whole') and the total SWLS score was strongly correlated (Spearman's rho = 0.66; p < 0.001). The total score in SWLS had the strongest correlation with items in LiSat-11. All items in LiSat-11, except 'Family life' and 'Partner relationship', were moderately to strongly correlated with items in SWLS. The item 'Partner relationship' in LiSat-11 did not correlate with any of the items in SWLS or the total score. The item 'If I could live my life over, I would change nothing' in SWLS had the weakest correlations with items in LiSat-11. Items 'Vocation' and 'Leisure' in LISat-11 were most strongly correlated with items in SWLS, whereas the item 'ADL' in LiSat-11 was more weakly correlated with items in SWLS.

CONCLUSIONS: The strength of the relationships implies that the two instruments assess similar but not identical aspects of LS and therefore complement each other when it is rated.

Language: en