Factor analysis of the pediatric symptom checklist in a population of children with voiding dysfunction and/or...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Urology
• Child Psychology
• Psychometric Analysis

Background:

• Children with voiding dysfunction and/or nocturnal enuresis often experience psychosocial difficulties.
• The Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) is a screening tool for these challenges, but its factor structure in this specific population was unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the factor structure of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) in children diagnosed with voiding dysfunction and/or nocturnal enuresis.
• To assess the utility of the PSC in identifying specific psychosocial issues within this pediatric urology cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 498 pediatric patients (ages 6-16) treated over 13 months.
• Caregiver completion of the 35-item Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC).
• Confirmatory factor analyses were performed on three established models.

Main Results:

• A four-factor model provided the best fit for the data.
• The identified factors were: internalizing problems, externalizing problems, attention problems, and chronic illness.
• The PSC effectively captured these distinct areas within the study population.

Conclusions:

• The Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) demonstrates a valid four-factor structure in children with voiding dysfunction/nocturnal enuresis.
• Findings support the PSC's use for assessing adjustment difficulties and potential medical condition side effects.
• This structure aids clinicians and researchers in understanding and investigating outcomes related to these factors.