The factor structure of the SF-36 in early pregnancy

Objective: The concept of Quality of Life (QoL) has emerged as an important psychological dimension within pregnancy. The current study sought to establish the psychometric properties of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) Version 2 in early pregnancy to evaluate the clinical appropriateness of using this measure with women in early pregnancy. Methods: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on self-report SF-36 data from 129 women during early pregnancy. Measures of anxiety and depression were also administered to determine the impact of psychiatric case classification on SF-36 subscale scores in this clinical group. Results: The underlying factor structure of the SF-36 comprised a general third-order superordinate domain of health and two second-order factors of physical health and mental health. The SF-36 subscales were observed to be sensitive to the affective status of participants. Conclusion: The use of the SF-36 in early pregnancy as a clinical research tool comprising eight subscales is recommended. The relative merits of scoring the instrument as a two-subscale measure of physical health and mental health require further evaluation. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.