Metric Characteristics of a Short Scale for Self-assessment of Students’ Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

With the aim of determining the metric characteristics of the adapted research instrument, applied in the process of detecting students’ perception of the quality of life after the period of closure of cities, institutions, schools, institutions of different profiles, i.e. measures to restrict movement and “live” social interaction during the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 corona virus, its statistical valorization was performed. The questionnaire, which is based on the assessment scale for the quality of life among the student population (PQL-S), was tested through two statistical procedures: (1) checking its internal agreement (Scale Reliability Analysis) based on Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient values; and (2) factor analysis (Principal Components Analysis, with the Direct Oblimin method of rotation). The research sample consisted of students of the Academy of Applied Studies in Belgrade (n = 1260). The results indicate good metric characteristics for the short twelve-item scale, demonstrating satisfactory reliability (Cronbach’s α = .806). The scale also showed good validity, supported by a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of .805 and a significant Bartlett’s test of sphericity (p < .001). Furthermore, application of the validated scale revealed a significant decline in students’ self-assessed quality of life in the post-pandemic period (p < .001). Statistical conclusions were made with a significance level of 0.05 (p < .05). The application of the validated scale revealed a significant decline in students’ quality of life perceptions in the post-pandemic period. The good metric characteristics of the instrument represent a quality basis for its possible application within the student population.