Defining quality of life: A wild-goose chase?

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volumn 9, Issue 1, 2013, Pages 185-203

  Barcaccia, Barbara ^a   Esposito, Giuseppe ^b   Matarese, Maria ^c   Bertolaso, Marta ^c   Elvira, Marta ^d   De Marinis, Maria Grazia ^c  

^a Assoc di Psicol Cognitiva di Roma   (Italy)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ROME TOR VERGATA   (Italy)

^c UNIVERSITY CAMPUS BIO MEDICO   (Italy)

^d IESE BUSINESS SCHOOL   (Spain)

Author keywords

Acceptance; Ethics; Multidimensionality; Physical health; Psychological health; Quality of life; Subjectivity

Indexed keywords

EID: 84874693243     PISSN: None     EISSN: 18410413     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.5964/ejop.v9i1.484     Document Type: Article

References (64)

1. Addington-Hall, J., & Kalra, L. (2001). Who should measure quality of life? British Medical Journal, 322, 1417-1420. doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7299.1417
2. Albrecht, G. L., & Devlieger, P. J. (1999). The disability paradox: High quality of life against all odds. Social Science & Medicine, 48, 977-988. doi:10.1016/S0277-9536(98)00411-0
3. Albrecht, G. L. (1994). Subjective health assessment. In C. Jenkinson (Ed.), Measuring health and medical outcomes (pp. 7-26). London: UCL Press.
4. Amann Gainotti, M., & Pallini, S. (2006). Motivations for choosing nursing degree: A comparative research. International Nursing Perspectives, 6(2), 41-48.
5. Ashing-Giwa, K. T. (2005). The contextual model of HRQoL: A paradigm for expanding the HRQoL framework. Quality of Life Research, 14, 297-307. doi:10.1007/s11136-004-0729-7
6. Banister, D., & Bowling, A. (2004). Quality of life for the elderly: The transport dimension. Transport Policy, 11, 105-115. doi:10.1016/S0967-070X(03)00052-0
7. Barcaccia, B. (2008, June). Accepting limitations of life: Leading our patients through a painful but healing path. Lecture conducted from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
8. Barcaccia, B. (2013). Definitions and domains of health-related quality of life. In P. Theofilou (Ed.), Outcomes assessment in end-stage kidney disease: Measurements and applications in clinical practice. Bussum: Bentham Science Publishers.
9. Barcaccia, B., Mismetti, L., & Saliani, A. M. (2010, October). Distress, quality of life and communication issues between oncological patients and significant others. Paper presented at the 40th Annual EABCT Congress, Milan, Italy.
10. Barcaccia, B., & Petrocchi, N. (2011, June). Acceptance and commitment therapy's techniques in the treatment ofobsessive-compulsive disorder. Poster presented at the 7th International Congress of Cognitive Psychotherapy, Istanbul, Turkey.
11. Barnes, S., & Design in Caring Environments Study Group. (2002). The design of caring environments and the quality of life of older people. Ageing and Society, 22, 775-789. doi:10.1017/S0144686X02008899
12. Benito-León, J., Rivera-Navarro, J., Guerrero, A. L., De Las Heras, V., Balseiro, J., Rodríguez, E., Martínez-Martín, P. (2011). The CAREQOL-MS was a useful instrument to measure caregiver quality of life in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 64(6), 675-686. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.08.003
13. Bernabei, R., Venturiero, V., Tarsitani, P., & Gambassi, G. (2000). The comprehensive geriatric assessment: When, where, how. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, 33, 45-56. doi:10.1016/S1040-8428(99)00048-7
14. Blane, D., Netuveli, G., & Montgomery, S. M. (2008). Quality of life, health and physiological status and change in older ages. Social Science & Medicine, 66, 1579-1587. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.12.021
15. Brown, J., Bowling, A., & Flynn, T. (2004). Models of quality of life: A taxonomy, overview and systematic review of the literature. Retrieved from European Forum on Population Ageing Research Website: www.ageingresearch.group.shef.ac.uk/pdf/QoL_review_no_tables.pdf
16. Burger, J. (2003). Perceptions about environmental use and future restoration of an urban estuary. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 46, 399-416. doi:10.1080/0964056032000096875
17. Campbell, A., & Converse, P. E. (1972). The human meaning of social change. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
18. Costanza, R., Fisher, B., Ali, S., Beer, C., Bond, L., Boumans, R., & Snapp, R. (2007). Quality of life: An approach integrating opportunities, human needs, and subjective well-being. Ecological Economics, 61, 267-276. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.02.023
19. Dijkers, M. (2007). "What's in a name?" The indiscriminate use of the "quality of life" label, and the need to bring about clarity in conceptualisations. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 44, 153-155. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.07.016
20. Fagerlind, H., Ring, L., Brulde, B., Feltelius, N., & Lindblad, Å. K. (2010). Patients' understanding of the concepts of health and quality of life. Patient Education and Counseling, 78, 104-110. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2009.05.016
21. Farquhar, M. (1995). Elderly people's definitions of quality of life. Social Science & Medicine, 41, 1439-1446. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(95)00117-P
22. Fassino, S., Leombruni, P., Abbate Daga, G., Brustolin, A., Rovera, G. G., & Fabris, F. (2002). Quality of life in dependent older adults living at home. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 35, 9-20. doi:10.1016/S0167-4943(01)00210-2
23. Felce, D., & Perry, J. (1995). Quality of life: Its definition and measurement research. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 16, 51-74. doi:10.1016/0891-4222(94)00028-8
24. Galloway, S., Bell, D., Hamilton, C., & Scullion, A. C. (2006). Quality of life and well-being: Measuring the benefits of culture and sport: Literature review and thinkpiece (Scottish Executive Education Department Report). Retrieved from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/13110743/2
25. Gasper, D. (2010). Understanding the diversity of conceptions of well-being and quality of life. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 39(3), 351-360. doi:10.1016/j.socec.2009.11.006
26. Gill, T. M., & Feinstein, A. R. (1994). A critical appraisal of the quality of quality-of-life measurements. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 272, 619-626. doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03520080061045
27. Grant, M., & Sun, V. (2010). Advances in quality of life at the end of life. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 26, 26-35. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2009.11.005
28. Hacker, E. D. (2010). Technology and quality of life outcomes. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 26, 47-58. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2009.11.007
29. Hanestad, B. R. (1990). Errors of measurement affecting the reliability and validity of data acquired from self-assessed quality of life. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 4, 29-34.
30. Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1-25. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.006
31. Holmes, S. (2005). Assessing the quality of life - Reality or impossible dream? A discussion paper. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 42, 493-501. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2004.06.014
32. Text of Johnson's Address at Rally in the Garden. (1964, November 1). The New York Times. (Original speech held on October 31, 1964). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/04/12/specials/johnson-garden.html
33. Kagawa-Singer, M., Padilla, G. V., & Ashing-Giwa, K. (2010). Health-related quality of life and culture. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 26, 59-67. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2009.11.008
34. Kane, R. L. (2001). Scaling the heights of quality of life. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 54, 1079-1080. doi:10.1016/S0895-4356(01)00394-8
35. Koller, M., Klinkhammer-Schalke, M., & Lorenz, W. (2005). Outcome and quality of life in medicine: A conceptual framework to put quality of life research into practice. Urologic Oncology, 23, 186-192. doi:10.1016/j.urolonc.2005.03.002
36. Koller, M., & Lorenz, W. (2002). Quality of life: A deconstruction for clinicians. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 95, 481-488. doi:10.1258/jrsm.95.10.481
37. Lelkens, J. P. M. (2005). Quality of life in cancer patients with unfavourable prognosis. In E. Sgreccia & I. Carrasco de Paola (Eds.), Quality of life and the ethics of health: Proceedings of the sixth Assemblea Generale Pontificia Pro-Vita, Vatican City, Vatican City State. Retrieved from http://www.academiavita.org/_pdf/assemblies/11/quality_of_life_and_the_ethics_of_health.pdf
38. Levasseur, M., Desrosiers, J., & St-Cyr Tribble, D. (2008). Subjective quality-of-life predictors for older adults with physical disabilities. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 87, 830-841. doi:10.1097/PHM.0b013e318186b5bd
39. Levasseur, M., St-Cyr Tribble, D., & Desrosiers, J. (2009). Meaning of quality of life for older adults: Importance of human functioning components. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 49, e91-e100. doi:10.1016/j.archger.2008.08.013
40. Lin, X.-J., Lin, I.-M., & Fan, S.-Y. (2012). Methodological issues in measuring health-related quality of life. Tzu Chi Medical Journal. Advance online publication. doi:10.1016/j.tcmj.2012.09.002
41. Malkina-Pykh, I. G., & Pykh, Y. A. (2008). Quality-of-life indicators at different scales: Theoretical background. Ecological Indicators, 8, 854-862. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2007.01.008
42. Marcos Del Cano, A. M. (2001). The concept of quality of life: Legal aspects. Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy, 4, 91-95. doi:10.1023/A:1009942417414
43. Meeberg, G. A. (1993). Quality of life: A concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18, 32-38. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.1993.18010032.x
44. Mismetti, L., & Barcaccia, B. (2011, June). Anxiety, depression, quality of life and communication issues in oncological patients and their informal caregivers. Paper presented at the 7th International Congress of Cognitive Psychotherapy, Istanbul, Turkey.
45. Moons, P., Budts, W., & De Geest, S. (2006). Critique on the conceptualisation of quality of life: A review and evaluation of different conceptual approaches. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, 891-901. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.03.015
46. O'Connell, K. A., & Skevington, S. M. (2005). The relevance of spirituality, religion and personal beliefs to health-related quality of life: Themes from focus groups in Britain. British Journal of Health Psychology, 10, 379-398. doi:10.1348/135910705X25471
47. Pais-Ribeiro, J. L. (2004). Quality of life is a primary end-point in clinical settings. Clinical Nutrition, 23, 121-130. doi:10.1016/S0261-5614(03)00109-2
48. Pallini, S., Bove, G., & Laghi, F. (2011). Classification of professional values based on motivational content: An exploratory study on Italian adolescents. Measurement & Evaluation in Counseling & Development, 44, 16-31. doi:10.1177/0748175610391607
49. Prior, W. J. (1991). Virtue and knowledge: An Introduction to ancient Greek ethics. London: Routledge.
50. Rapley, M. (2003). Quality of life research: A critical introduction. London: SAGE.
51. Ravenek, K. E., Ravenek, M. J., Hitzig, S. L., & Wolfe, D. L. (2012). Assessing quality of life in relation to physical activity participation in persons with spinal cord injury: A systematic review. Disability and Health Journal, 5(4), 213-223. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2012.05.005
52. Rosenberg, R. (1995). Health-related quality of life between naturalism and hermeneutics. Social Science & Medicine, 41, 1411-1415. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(95)00123-O
53. Ruta, D., Camfield, L., & Donaldson, C. (2007). Sen and the art of quality of life maintenance: Towards a general theory of quality of life and its causation. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 36, 397-423. doi:10.1016/j.socec.2006.12.004
54. Saliani, A., Barcaccia, B., & Mancini, F. (2011). Interpersonal vicious cycles in anxiety disorders. In M. Rimondini (Ed.), Communication in cognitive behavioural therapy (pp. 149-183). New York: Springer.
55. Scanlon, T. (1993). Value, desire, and quality of life. In M. Nussbaum & A. Sem (Eds.), The quality of life (pp. 185-207). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
56. Segrin, C., Badger, T. A., Dorros, S. M., Meek, P., & Lopez, A. M. (2007). Interdependent anxiety and psychological distress in women with breast cancer and their partners. Psycho-Oncology, 16, 634-643. doi:10.1002/pon.1111
57. Taillefer, M.-C., Dupuis, G., Roberge, M.-A., & LeMay, S. (2003). Health-related quality of life models: Systematic review of the literature. Social Indicators Research, 64, 293-323. doi:10.1023/A:1024740307643
58. Varricchio, C. G., & Ferrans, C. E. (2010). Quality of life assessment in clinical practice. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 26, 12-17. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2009.11.003
59. WHOQOL Group. (1995). The World Health Organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL): Position paper from the World Health Organization. Social Science & Medicine, 41(10), 1403-1409. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(95)00112-K
60. WHOQOL SRPB Group. (2006). A cross-cultural study of spirituality, religion, and personal beliefs as components of quality of life. Social Science & Medicine, 62, 1486-1497. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.08.001
61. Wolfensberger, W. (1994). Let's hang up "quality of life" as a hopeless term. In D. Goode (Ed.), Quality of life for persons with disabilities, international perspectives and issues (pp. 286-319). Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.
62. Wood-Dauphinee, S. (1999). Assessing quality of life in clinical research from where have we come and where are we going? Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 52, 355-363. doi:10.1016/S0895-4356(98)00179-6
63. Wulff, H. (1999). The two cultures of medicine: Objective facts versus subjectivity and values. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 92, 549-552.
64. Xavier, F. M. F., Ferraz, M. P. T., Marc, N., Escosteguy, N. U., & Moriguchi, E. H. (2003). Elderly people's definition of quality of life. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 25, 31-39. doi:10.1590/S1516-44462003000100007