Conceptual Frameworks, Approaches, Theories, and Philosophies of QOL

Abstract

The concept of QOL has been conceptualized differently by different QOL researchers. A number of these are discussed in the sections included in this chapter. Specifically, we will discuss the QOL concept from the following theoretical perspectives:

• Ideal theories,

• Personal utility theories,

• QOL as happiness versus life satisfaction

• Opulence theories,

• Theories of the just society,

• The needs approach,

• The transcendental approach,

• The social judgment approach,

• The bottom-up versus top-down approach,

• The resource management approach,

• The ecological approach,

• The adaptation level approach,

• The health approach.,

• The culture model,

• The goal model, and

• Other perspectives.