AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS–SPECIFIC QUALITY OF LIFE–SHORT FORM (ALSSQOL-SF): A BRIEF, RELIABLE, AND VALID VERSION OF THE ALSSQOL-R

Introduction: The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)-Specific Quality of Life instrument and its revised version (ALSSQOL and ALSSQOL-R) have strong psychometric properties, and have demonstrated research and clinical utility. In this study we aimed to develop a short form (ALSSQOL-SF) suitable for limited clinic time and patient stamina. Methods: The ALSSQOL-SF was created using Item Response Theory and confirmatory factor analysis on 389 patients. A cross-validation sample of 162 patients assessed convergent, divergent, and construct validity of the ALSSQOL-SF compared with psychosocial and physical functioning measures. Results: The ALSSQOL-SF consisted of 20 items. Compared with the ALSSQOL-R, optimal precision was retained, and completion time was reduced from 15–25 minutes to 2–4 minutes. Psychometric properties for the ALSSQOL-SF and its subscales were strong. Discussion: The ALSSQOL-SF is a disease-specific global QOL instrument that has a short administration time suitable for clinical use, and can provide clinically useful, valid information about persons with ALS.