Spanish adaptation and validation of the Family Quality of Life Survey

Background Assessing the quality of life (QOL) for families that include a person with a disability have recently become a major emphasis in cross-cultural QOL studies. The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Family Quality of Life Survey (FQOL) on a Spanish sample. Method and results The sample comprised 385 families who were administered the FQOL in Cali, Columbia. The FQOL showed adequate temporal stability (r = 0.68 on Importance and r = 0.78 on Satisfaction) and excellent internal consistency: Cronbach's alpha of 0.96 for Importance and 0.95 for Satisfaction. The confirmatory factor analysis yielded high fit indices, thus confirming that the factor structure of the FQOL as adapted for Spanish people fitted the five-factor model proposed by the survey's authors. Conclusions The study provides a valid instrument for the research of the QOL of those families that have a child with a disability within Spanish-speaking community.