The PedsQL Family Impact Module: preliminary reliability and validity

Area of Science:

• Pediatric health outcomes research
• Family impact assessment
• Quality of life measurement

Background:

• The PedsQL Measurement Model assesses health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents.
• The PedsQL Family Impact Module (FIM) was developed to evaluate the impact of pediatric chronic conditions on parents and families.
• The FIM assesses parent-reported functioning, communication, worry, daily activities, and family relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the preliminary reliability and validity of the PedsQL Family Impact Module.
• To assess the impact of pediatric chronic health conditions on parent and family functioning.
• To evaluate the PedsQL FIM's ability to differentiate between family care settings.

Main Methods:

• The 36-item PedsQL Family Impact Module was administered to 23 families.
• Families included those with medically fragile children in long-term care or residing at home.
• Data analysis focused on internal consistency reliability and group differentiation.

Main Results:

• High internal consistency reliability was demonstrated for the Total Scale Score (α = 0.97) and summary scores (Parent HRQOL α = 0.96, Family Functioning α = 0.90).
• Module scales showed good reliability (average α = 0.90, range = 0.82–0.97).
• The PedsQL FIM successfully distinguished between families with children in long-term care versus those at home.

Conclusions:

• The PedsQL Family Impact Module demonstrates preliminary reliability and validity for families with children facing complex chronic health conditions.
• Further field testing is planned to confirm measurement properties across diverse pediatric chronic conditions.
• The PedsQL FIM is a promising tool for understanding family-centered outcomes in pediatric chronic illness.