Objective We compare the reliability and validity of the Short Form 36 (version 1, SF-36) and the Short Form 12 (version 1, SF-12) in adolescence, the period of life when a child develops into an adult, i.e., the period from puberty to maturity terminating legally at the age of majority (10–19 years), thus supplying evidence for the selection of instruments measuring the quality of life (QOL) and decision-making processes of adolescents in China. Methods Stratified cluster random sampling was adopted according to geographical location, and the SF-36 was administered to assess QOL. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to show correlation. Cronbach’s alpha and construct reliability (CR) were used to evaluate the reliability of SF-36 and SF-12, while criterion validity and average variance extracted (AVE, convergence validity) were used to evaluate validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to calculate the load factors for the items of the SF-36 and SF-12, then to obtain the CR and AVE. The Semejima grade response model (logistic two-parameter module) in item response theory was used to estimate item discrimination, item difficulty, and item average information for the items of the SF-36 and SF-12. Results 19,428 samples were included in the study. The mean age of respondents was 14.78 years (SD = 1.77). Reliability of each domain of the SF-36 was better than for the corresponding domain of the SF-12. The domains of PF, RP, BP, and GH in SF-36 had good construct reliability (CR > 0.6). The criterion validities of some domains of the SF-36 were a little higher in some corresponding dimensions of the SF-12, except for PCS. The convergence validities of the SF-12 were higher than the SF-36 in PF, RP, BP, and PCS. The items of BP, SF, RP, and VT in the SF-12 had acceptable discrimination of items that were higher than in the SF-36. The items’ average amounts of information on BP, VT, SF, RE, and MH in the SF-36 and SF-12 were poor. Conclusion Two component (PCS and MCS) measurements of the SF-12 appeared to perform at least as well as the SF-36 in cross-sectional settings in adolescence, but the reliability and validity of the 8 domains of the SF-36 were better than those of the SF-12. Some domains, for instance SF and BP, were not suitable for adolescents or need to be studied further.

Objective: We compare the reliability and validity of the Short Form 36 (version 1, SF-36) and the Short Form 12 (version 1, SF-12) in adolescence, the period of life when a child develops into an adult, i.e., the period from puberty to maturity terminating legally at the age of majority (10-19 years), thus supplying evidence for the selection of instruments measuring the quality of life (QOL) and decision-making processes of adolescents in China. Methods: Stratified cluster random sampling was adopted according to geographical location, and the SF-36 was administered to assess QOL. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to show correlation. Cronbach’s alpha and construct reliability (CR) were used to evaluate the reliability of SF-36 and SF-12, while criterion validity and average variance extracted (AVE, convergence validity) were used to evaluate validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to calculate the load factors for the items of the SF-36 and SF-12, then to obtain the CR and AVE. The Semejima grade response model (logistic two-parameter module) in item response theory was used to estimate item discrimination, item difficulty, and item average information for the items of the SF-36 and SF-12. Results: 19,428 samples were included in the study. The mean age of respondents was 14.78 years (SD = 1.77). Reliability of each domain of the SF-36 was better than for the corresponding domain of the SF-12. The domains of PF, RP, BP, and GH in SF-36 had good construct reliability (CR > 0.6). The criterion validities of some domains of the SF-36 were a little higher in some corresponding dimensions of the SF-12, except for PCS. The convergence validities of the SF-12 were higher than the SF-36 in PF, RP, BP, and PCS. The items of BP, SF, RP, and VT in the SF-12 had acceptable discrimination of items that were higher than in the SF-36. The items’ average amounts of information on BP, VT, SF, RE, and MH in the SF-36 and SF-12 were poor. Conclusion: Two component (PCS and MCS) measurements of the SF-12 appeared to perform at least as well as the SF-36 in cross-sectional settings in adolescence, but the reliability and validity of the 8 domains of the SF-36 were better than those of the SF-12. Some domains, for instance SF and BP, were not suitable for adolescents or need to be studied further.

Objective: By comparing the psychometric properties of the Short Form 36 (version 1, SF-36) and the Short Form 12 (version 1, SF-12), we supply evidence for the selection of instruments measuring the quality of life (QOL) and decision-making processes of adolescents in China. Methods: Stratified cluster random sampling was adopted, and the SF-36 was administered to assess QOL. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to show correlation. Cronbach’s alpha and construct reliability (CR) were used to evaluate the reliability of SF-36 and SF-12, while criterion validity and average variance extracted (AVE, convergence validity) were used to evaluate validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to calculate the load factor for each item, then to obtain the CR and AVE. The Semejima grade response model (logistic two-parameter module) in item response theory was used to estimate item discrimination, item difficulty, and item average information for each item. Results: 19,428 samples were included in the study. The mean age of respondents was 14.78 years (SD = 1.77). High correlations between the corresponding domains and components of both scales were found. Reliability of each domain of the SF-36 was better than for the corresponding domain of SF-12. The domains of PF, RP, BP, and GH in SF-36 had good construct reliability (CR > 0.6). The criterion validities of SF-36 were a little higher in some corresponding dimensions, except for PCS. The convergence validities of SF-12 were higher than SF-36 in PF, RP, BP, and PCS. The items of BP, SF, RP, and VT in SF-12 had acceptable discrimination of items that were higher than in SF-36. The items’ average amounts of information of BP, VT, SF, RE, and MH in SF-36 and SF-12 were poor. Conclusion: Two component measurements of the SF-12 (PCS and MCS) appeared to perform at least as well as the SF-36 in cross-sectional settings in adolescence, but the reliability and validity of 8 domains of the SF-36 were better than those of SF-12. Some domains, for instance SF and BP, were not suitable for adolescents or need no further study.

Objective: By comparing psychometric properties of the SF-36 and the SF-12, supplied evidence for the election of instruments of the quality of life (QOL) and decision-making processes to promote the Quality of Life of adolescent. Methods: Stratified cluster random sampling was adopted. The Short-Form 36 (SF-36) was used to assess QOL. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to show correlation. Cronbach’s Alpha and Construct Reliability (CR) were used to evaluate reliability of SF-36 and the Short-Form 12 (SF-12), Criterion Validity and Average Variance Extracted (AVE, Convergence Validity) for validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to calculate load factor for each item, then obtained CR and AVE. The Semejima grade response model (Logistic two-parameter module) in the item response theory was used to estimate the Item Discrimination, Item Difficulty and Item Average Information of each item. Results: 19,428 samples were included in the study. The mean age was 14.78 years (SD=1.77). High correlations between corresponding domains and components of both scales were found. Reliability of sf-36 each domain was better than that corresponding domain of sf-12. Domains of PF, RP, BP, and GH in SF-36 had good construct reliability (CR,>0.6). The Criterion Validities of SF-36 were little higher in some corresponding dimensions except PCS. Convergence validities of SF-12 were higher than SF-36 in PF, RP, BP and PCS. The items of BP, SF, RP and VT in SF-12 had acceptable discriminations of items and higher than in SF-36. The items Average Amounts of Information of BP, VT, SF, RE and MH in SF-36 and SF-12 were poor. Conclusion: Two components (PCS and MCS) measurements of SF-12 appeared to perform at least as well as the SF-36 in cross-sectional settings in adolescence. Some domains, for instance SF and BP, were suitable for adolescents or not need study further.