Studies of response-shift phenomena in quality-of-life (QOL) research have grown steadily in the more than two decades of research. As a field, we have been calling a lot of different approaches "response shift" over the years, but the only approach that fully embodies the foundational (Sprangers and Schwartz, Soc Sci Med 48(11):1507-1515, 1999) theoretical model is appraisal. According to the definition proposed in this model, response shift is about individual cognitive change. This paper presents the argument that all response-shift research models need to be grounded in an understanding of cognitive appraisal. We present a reasoned argument for why appraisal is fundamental to QOL response-shift research. We describe current measurement and analytic methods for working with appraisal, and how these methods can be integrated into the current response-shift statistical 'tool box.' We propose future research directions on theory, methods, and cross-calibration of group- and individual-level methods. There are currently three tools available in multiple languages for assessing QOL appraisal processes. They have been tested and used to assess response shift in empirical studies of ~ 7000 people with chronic illness. The study findings illustrate how appraisal theory and methods can facilitate methodological investigations of and to enhance other response-shift detection methods. Future research directions are proposed to enrich QOL theory, response-shift methods, and interpretation of QOL change over time. Appraisal theory and methods are the closest approximation to a response-shift 'gold standard.' They provide the foundation for understanding response shift and point to a unified theory of QOL.

中文翻译：

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通过加深我们对反应转移的理解来推进生活质量研究：一种统一的评估理论。

在超过二十年的研究中，生活质量（QOL）研究中对响应漂移现象的研究稳步增长。作为一个领域，多年来，我们一直在称许多不同的方法为“响应转移”，但是唯一能充分体现基础理论的方法（Sprangers和Schwartz，Soc Sci Med 48（11）：1507-1515，1999）模型是评估。根据该模型中提出的定义，反应转移与个体认知变化有关。本文提出了这样一种论点，即所有应对转移研究模型都必须以对认知评估的理解为基础。我们提出一个合理的论证，说明为什么评估对于QOL响应转移研究至关重要。我们描述了目前用于评估的度量和分析方法，以及如何将这些方法整合到当前的响应转移统计“工具箱”中。我们提出了关于理论，方法以及组和个人方法的交叉校准的未来研究方向。当前，存在三种以多种语言提供的用于评估QOL评估过程的工具。在约7000名患有慢性病的人的经验研究中，对它们进行了测试并用于评估反应的变化。研究结果说明了评估理论和方法如何促进方法学研究并增强其他响应位移检测方法。提出了未来的研究方向，以丰富QOL理论，响应移动方法以及QOL随时间变化的解释。评估理论和方法是最接近响应转移“黄金标准”的方法。