Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
In the inpatient sample, positive correlations between the corresponding scales of the basic Q-LES-Q and its
abbreviated version (Q-LES-Q-18) were r5.97 for the General QOL Index, r5.96 for leisure time activities,
r5.95 for subjective feelings, r5.95 for social relationships, and r5.93 for physical health ( Ritsner et al., 2005 ).
The Quality of Life Scale (QLS; Heinrichs, Hanlon, & Carpenter 1984 ) scores of outpatients significantly corre-
lated with the General QOL Index and the subscales of the basic Q-LES-Q ( r5.55 to r5.64) and the abbreviated
Q-LES-Q-18 ( r5.51 to r5.64;Ritsner et al., 2005 ).
Divergent/Discriminant
Correlational analyses between the Q-LES-Q and various depression measures revealed small to moderate
negative correlations ( Endicott et al., 1993 ). For example, the Q-LES-Q total score correlated negatively with the
Beck Depression Inventory (r52.36;Beck & Beamesderfer, 1974 ). Also, the general index of the Q-LES-Q-18 exhib-
ited negative associations with measures of depression ( r52.29 with the Montgomery and Asberg Depression
Rating Scale ;Montgomery & Asberg, 1979 ), negative symptoms ( r52.19 with the Positive and Negative Syndrome
Scale ;Kay, Fiszbein, & Opler 1987 ), and general psychopathology ( r52.28 with the Positive and Negative
Syndrome Scale )(Ritsner et al., 2005 ).Ritsner et al. (2005) showed that the means of the basic Q-LES-Q (general
activities subscale excluded) and the Q-LES-Q-18 differed between inpatients and healthy participants as well as
between subgroups of the inpatients. Healthy participants always obtained higher scores on the General QOL
Index and subscales than did inpatients. Schizophrenic patients were less satisfied with their social relationships
than patients with a mood/schizoaffective disorder, but did not differ in their levels of satisfaction on any of the
other subscales or the General QOL Index (Ritsner et al., 2005 ).Endicott et al. (1993) reported negative correlations
between the Q-LES-Q and the Clinical Global Impressions Severity of Illness Ratings (NIMH, 1985 ), ranging from
r52.51 (social relationships) to r52.68 (subjective feelings).
Construct/Factor Analytic
Ritsner et al. (2005) presented results of an exploratory principal components analysis performed on the inter-
correlations of the Q-LES-Q-18 items. Four components were extracted (with eigenvalues $1) which were sub-
jected to varimax rotation and subsequently labeled social relationships, physical health, subjective feelings, and
leisure time activities. The hypothesized fifth general activity dimension could not be replicated and was there-
fore not included in the Q-LES-Q-18 measure.
Criterion/Predictive
Predictive validity of the Q-LES-Q and Q-LES-Q-18 measures has been summarized in Ritsner et al. (2005) .
Location
Endicott, J., Nee, J., Harrison, W., & Blumenthal, R. (1993). Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction
Questionnaire: A new measure. Psychopharmacology Bulletin ,29, 321/C0326.
Ritsner, M., Kurs, R., Gibel, A., Ratner, Y., & Endicott, J. (2005). Validity of an abbreviated Quality of Life
Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-18) for schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and mood disorder
patients. Quality of Life Research, 14, 1693/C01703.
Results and Comments
The Q-LES-Q and its abbreviated form (i.e., the Q-LES-Q-18) are multidimensional measures of life satisfaction
for adults that contain multiple items for each domain. Studies of the Q-LES-Q and the Q-LES-Q-18 suggested
satisfactory item homogeneity, test /C0retest reliability, and evidence of validity. These measures appear to have
good usefulness in clinical (i.e., psychiatric) settings, and they are also suitable for use with healthy people.
However, further studies of the psychometric properties of the measures in different populations (e.g., older
adults, psychiatric patients other than schizophrenics, and patients with schizoaffective and mood disorders) are
needed to assess the range of applicability of the Q-LES-Q and the Q-LES-Q-18.117 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASURES
II. EMOTIONAL DISPOSITIONS