Reliability and validity of the Wisconsin HSS Quality of Life Inventory in traumatic brain injury

The present investigation examined the psychometric properties of the Wisconsin HSS Quality of Life Inventory (WI HSS QOL) when used in the study of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The WI HSS QOL is a theoretically based measure that assesses QOL via level of need satisfaction as conceptualized in Maslow's theory of human needs. Both internal consistency and test-retest reliability were demonstrated in a group of individuals with moderate to severe TBI. The demonstrated consistency of the participants' self-reports indicates that QOL can be reliably assessed from the survivor's perspective. Cluster analytic results generally supported the construct validity of the measure's use in TBI. The cluster solution reflected four of the five theoretical need categories; however, the fifth category, self-actualization needs, did not emerge as a single cluster as expected. This deviation from the theoretical model may relate to participants' difficulties in understanding the relatively abstract items designed to assess the concept of self-actualization. Overall, the WI HSS QOL holds significant promise as a measure of QOL in TBI.