Factor structure of the Schalock and Keith Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL-Q): validation on Mexican and Spanish samples.
The Spanish QOL-Q keeps the same four-factor structure, so you can safely measure quality of life with Spanish-speaking adults who have intellectual disability.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave the Schalock and Keith Quality of Life Questionnaire to adults with intellectual disability in Mexico and Spain.
They ran the same math checks used in the original English version to see if the Spanish form kept the same four-factor shape.
What they found
The Spanish QOL-Q held together. The same four life areas—satisfaction, competence, empowerment, and social belonging—showed up again.
The study says you can trust the Spanish form to give reliable scores for Spanish-speaking clients with ID.
How this fits with other research
Keintz et al. (2011) did the same kind of check in Chinese and got the same green light. Together the two papers build a bridge: the QOL-Q works in at least three major languages.
Windsor et al. (2025) looked at every communication scale for people with ID and found none fully solid. That sounds gloomy, but it really means the QOL-Q’s strong record makes it one of the few tools you can lean on right now.
Brown et al. (2013) push past fixed questionnaires and urge person-by-person goals. Use the QOL-Q first to get a snapshot, then add individual items so the measure keeps up with real life.
Why it matters
If your client or family speaks Spanish, you can hand them the Spanish QOL-Q without second-guessing the numbers. Start there, then add custom questions from the Capabilities Framework to capture what matters most to that one person.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL-Q) is used widely to evaluate the quality of life of persons with intellectual disability (ID). Its validity for use with Spanish-speaking cultures has been demonstrated for individuals with visual disabilities, but not for those with physical or intellectual disabilities. Such was the purpose of the present study. METHOD: Two samples were administered the QOL-Q under standardized procedures. The first sample was composed of 209 Mexican participants with physical disabilities; the second was composed of 424 Spanish participants with ID. The hypothesis tested was: the applicability (i.e. etic properties) of the measure across countries and respondents would be demonstrated if reliability data and if factor composition were similar to the original measure. Cronbach's alpha was used to test reliability and exploratory factor analyses were used to test validity (i.e. factor structure). RESULTS: Data indicated that the reliability and factor structure was similar to that reported in the questionnaire's standardization manual and consistent with that reported in a number of Anglo-Saxon countries. CONCLUSION: The present study offers additional support for the valid use of the QOL-Q with Spanish-speaking populations.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2005 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2005.00750.x