Initial validation of the Chinese Quality of Life Questionnaire-Intellectual Disabilities (CQOL-ID): a cultural perspective.
The CQOL-ID is a quick, culture-fit scale that lets you track quality of life in Chinese adults with mild or moderate ID.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team built a 23-item quality-of-life scale for Chinese adults with mild or moderate intellectual disability. They asked adults and their caregivers to answer the items, then ran math checks to see if the scores hung together.
This was the first time anyone tested a Chinese-language QOL tool made just for this group.
What they found
The new scale, called the CQOL-ID, held up well. Items stuck together and matched what we already know about quality of life.
In plain words, the tool works and you can trust the scores.
How this fits with other research
Hatton et al. (2005) did the same job for Spanish speakers. Both studies took an existing idea—QOL for people with ID—and proved it fits their culture. This back-to-back success shows the method travels.
Brown et al. (2013) came next and said, "One size still does not fit all." They urged teams to add personal items to any QOL scale, even a solid one like the CQOL-ID. The later paper does not replace the Chinese tool; it just tells you to tweak it for each client.
Mercier et al. (2025) looked at every ‘emotional well-being’ measure for IDD and found most are really QOL scales with only a few feelings items. Their big-picture scan includes the CQOL-ID era and warns us to pick tools with open eyes.
Why it matters
If you serve Chinese-speaking adults with ID, you now have a short, free tool that parents and staff can both complete. Use it at intake, yearly reviews, or before and after a new program. Pair it with Ivan’s advice and drop in one or two custom questions—like access to favorite foods or holiday rituals—to keep the measure person-centered while keeping the solid core.
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Print the 23-item CQOL-ID, give it to your Chinese-speaking client and caregiver, and use the total score as your new baseline.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: In the field of intellectual disabilities (ID), the quality of life concept has been developing rapidly in Chinese societies including Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan. However, there is a lack of locally validated instruments to measure the quality of life of people with ID. The study reported in this paper attempted to validate the Chinese Quality of Life Questionnaire - Intellectual Disabilities adapted from the Quality of Life Questionnaire developed by Schalock & Keith. METHODS: People with mild/moderate ID aged 15 years or above were recruited from special schools, skills centres, community service units and residential units in different regions of Hong Kong. A number of procedures were followed including reliability tests, factor analysis, content validity and construct validity. RESULTS: A total of 359 participants were recruited for the study. Factor analysis was conducted according to the rotated component matrix method, in which 23 items were extracted from the original 40-item version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire and three domains (renamed satisfaction, competence and daily choice making/interpersonal relations) were observed. The items in each domain were shown to have factor loadings ranging from 0.42 to 0.90. Construct validity tests indicated the positive nature of the relationship between earnings, and that self-determination and social interaction increase with more independent living environments and less segregated work environments achieving higher scores (P<0.000, P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively). The scale also achieved a good degree of reliability (Cronbach's α=0.79). CONCLUSIONS: Initial validity tests indicated that the Chinese Quality of Life Questionnaire - Intellectual Disabilities may be a useful instrument for measuring the quality of life of Chinese people with ID. Cultural issues are discussed and recommendations for future research and service development are made.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2011 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2011.01412.x