ABSTRACT
This chapter is a comprehensive reference manual providing information on World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL), which is a self-rating scale, designed to measure quality of life. It is a generic instrument that aims to be applicable cross-culturally, and a large number of reports have been published from different countries and cultures. In clinical samples, it has been used commonly in mental and other health conditions, but has had more limited application in the acquired brain impairment population. Meldolesi et al. report on its use in temporal lobe epilepsy and Chiu et al. used the WHOQOL-BREF in traumatic brain injury. A brief history of the instrument's development is provided, along with a description of item content and administration/scoring procedures. Psychometric properties are reviewed and a critical commentary is provided. Key references are cited and in most cases the actual scale is included, giving the reader easy access to the instrument.
