Evaluation of the life satisfaction questionnaire (LSQ) using structural equation modelling (SEM)

The life satisfaction questionnaire (LSQ) was developed for use in conventional and complementary/anthroposophic care to assess the quality of life/life satisfaction of Swedish women with breast cancer. The first attempt to test the reliability and validity was in a sample of women with breast cancer (n = 362), the second in a random sample of Swedish women (n = 257). A theoretical model with six latent and 34 manifest variables was formulated. The aim of the present study was to perform confirmatory factor analyses using structural equation modelling. The software STREAMS was used. An additional sample of men (n = 263) was randomly selected from the Swedish population register. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed for the combined sample of women and men (n = 520) and for the women with breast cancer. The result of the confirmatory factor analyses showed that the factor structure of the original model was confirmed. The factors were called physical symptoms (PS), sickness impact (SI), quality of everyday activities (QDA), socio-economic situation (SES), quality of family relation (QFA), and quality of close friend relationship (QFR).