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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

PedsQL relates to function and behavior in very low and normal birth weight 2- and 3-year-olds from a regional cohort

Mari Palta1, Mona Sadek-Badawi

  • 1Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 610 Walnut Street, Madison, WI 53726, USA. mpalta@wisc.edu

Quality of Life Research : an International Journal of Quality of Life Aspects of Treatment, Care and Rehabilitation
|May 7, 2008
PubMed

Insights

The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is sensitive to health issues in very low birth weight children. It strongly relates to mobility and behavior, though parents may overlook subtle problems.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric health outcomes
  • Quality of life assessment
  • Child development

Background:

  • Very low birth weight (VLBW) children face unique health challenges.
  • Assessing quality of life in VLBW children is crucial for early intervention.
  • The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is a widely used measure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare PedsQL scores between VLBW (< or =1,500 g) and normal birth weight (>2,500 g) children.
  • To examine the relationship between PedsQL scores and behavioral/functional outcomes.
  • To determine the PedsQL's sensitivity to health issues in VLBW children.

Main Methods:

  • A regional cohort of 672 VLBW and 455 normal birth weight children (2- and 3-year-olds) was studied.
  • Parents completed telephone interviews using the PedsQL, Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and PEDI functional scales.
  • PedsQL scores were analyzed using regression models with behavior, function, and health conditions as predictors.

Main Results:

  • Mean PedsQL scores were 91 (normal birth weight) and 87 (VLBW), with minimal change after standardization.
  • Mobility function and CBCL scores explained 58% of the variance in PedsQL scores, indicating a curvilinear relationship.
  • The PedsQL demonstrated sensitivity to health problems in VLBW children.

Conclusions:

  • The PedsQL effectively identifies health-related quality of life issues in young VLBW children.
  • PedsQL scores are strongly associated with mobility and behavioral problems, but interpret these differently than standard tools.
  • Parents may not perceive or report subtle functional or behavioral issues impacting quality of life without specific prompting.
Abstract

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