Handbook on Quality of Life for Human Service Practitioners. Robert Schalock and Miguel Angel Verdugo Alonso. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation, 2002.
If you have any interest in the topic of quality of life (QOL) for individuals in human services, whether it be on an individual level, a programmatic assessment, research or measurement, or policy that reflects QOL for individuals with special circumstance, then Schalock and Alonso have done you a tremendous favor. They have amassed a huge review of the literature on QOL and thoughtfully categorized it into segments that will be helpful to both the seasoned researcher and program director, as well as to new students or professionals in the field.
The authors utilize an ecological analysis (micro-, meso-, and macro-systems reviews) of six areas of human service (Regular and Special Education, Physical Health, Mental and Behavioral Health, Mental Retardation and Intellectual Disability, Aging, and Families)...