Quality of Well-Being Scale Self-Administered – QWB-SA
A multi-dimensional self-report instrument designed to measure health-related quality of life by assessing symptoms, mobility, physical activity, and social/self-care functioning.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Quality of Well-Being Scale Self-Administered – QWB-SA was developed by Robert M. Kaplan, Theodore G. Ganiats, William J. Sieber (1997). It is designed to measure Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). The scale is intended for use with Adults and clinical populations.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 68 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Symptoms (CPX), Mobility, Physical Activity, Social & Self-care activity.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Symptoms (CPX) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55 | 55 |
| Mobility | 56,57 | 2 |
| Physical Activity | 58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66 | 9 |
| Social & Self-care activity | 67,68 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous Yes/No format.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 100. Interpretation guidelines:
- Severe Impairment: 0 – 59
- Moderate Impairment: 60 – 79
- Mild Impairment: 80 – 99
- Optimum Health: 100 – 100
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High test-retest reliability (typically > 0.90).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.