About The Unit

About the Quality of Life Research Unit

The Unit was established in 1991 at the Centre for Health Promotion at the University of Toronto. Later the Unit moved its homebase to the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto where it continued to operate until July 2024. Its central purpose was to develop research-based conceptual models of quality life and validated instruments based on those models as well as to make them available through this website to researchers and heir students and organizations.

The quality of life research on which these models and instruments is based relates to communities, families, and individuals from a variety of population groups. Of particular concern has been quality of life for those who are often more vulnerable, such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, children with long-term disabilities, and older adults.

The researchers who led the development of these models and instruments come from a range of disciplines, such as public health, rehabilitation, psychology, and social work. However, the models and instruments they developed have been used by researchers, students, and organizations from a broad range of disciplines and in a variety of contexts and settings.

Quality of life is an area of study that has attracted an increasing amount of attention over the last several decades, particularly with respect to health, rehabilitation, social and human services, and disability studies, but also in medicine, and education as well as many other areas.

The study of Quality of Life is an examination of what shapes goodness and meaning in people’s lives as well as their well-being and happiness. From our perspective at the Quality of life Research Unit, the ultimate goal quality of life research, applications of our research findings, and use of our research-based instruments is to support people in living lives of quality -- lives that are experienced as meaningful and enjoyed.