Health-Related Quality of Life among Youth: Evaluating Measurement Model Fit

Abstract

Quality of life is a broad and multidimensional concept. A related concept of health-related quality of life is well-being, which involves living a meaningful, life satisfaction, stability and happiness in life (1; 2). The concept of well-being is closely related to the concept of the quality of life. Both concern the satisfaction of psychological, social, physical needs, life satisfaction, stability, happiness and demands of an individual, which are necessary for his satisfaction with life (3). The purpose of this study was to validate three-factor measurement model of well-being using structural equation modeling (SEM). The youth conceptions of well-being measured such dimensions as physical, psychological and social well-being. This study was done based on a total sample of 600 youths from east-coast of peninsular Malaysia. The Well-Being Scales which was adapted from (4) was used in this study. The items were hypothesized a priori to have non-zero loadings on all dimensions in the model. The findings of the SEM demonstrated that it is a good fitting model which the proposed model fits the driving theory; (χ²/df = 1.295; GFI = .995; CFI = .998; TLI= .995; p = .248; RMSEA = .022). Composite reliability (CR) was .92 and variance extracted (VE) was 56%. Health-related quality of life is important to bring sustainable development to the mainstream.