[Validation of the Short-Form-Health-Survey-12 (SF-12 Version 2.0) assessing health-related quality of life in a normative German sample].

Convergent and divergent validation of the Short-Form-Health-Survey-12 assessing HRQoL by analyzing its associations with depressiveness (PHQ-9), social support (OSS-3) and satisfaction with life (SWLS). A normative German sample (N = 2.524) was analyzed using correlation, regression as well as confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling for ordinal data. The SF-12-scale Mental Health is associated most strongly with the validation criteria (PHQ: r[scales/constructs] = -.73/-.88, OSS-3: r = .35/.55, SWLS: r = .47/.62). Mental Health (β = .36) and Social Support (OSS-3; β = .25) allow to explain a significant amount of variance of the SWLS (R2 = .28). On construct level Emotional Role Functioning (β = .28) proved to be significant additionally. The SF-12 scales are associated with the validation criteria as expected. The SF- 12 proved to be suitable for modelling core components of HRQoL within a biopsychosocial framework aiming at predicting satisfaction with life.