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Published on: June 20, 2020
Reliability and validity of the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales in pediatric vision impairment
Dawn K DeCarlo1, Elizabeth Forte2, Liyan Gao2
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Department of Optometry and Vision Science, School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
Insights
The PedsQL 4.0 effectively measures health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with vision impairment, distinguishing them from normally sighted peers. Parent and child reports are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of HRQoL in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Ophthalmology
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- The PedsQL 4.0 is a widely used generic health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) instrument in pediatric health.
- Its utility in children with vision impairment requires specific investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the PedsQL 4.0's applicability in children with vision impairment.
- To assess its ability to differentiate between visually impaired and normally sighted children.
Main Methods:
- Vision testing including visual acuity was performed on children with vision impairment and controls.
- Participants (ages 8-18) and parents completed the PedsQL 4.0.
- Statistical analyses included t tests and Cronbach's alpha for reliability.
Main Results:
- The PedsQL 4.0 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.88).
- Children with vision impairment had significantly different PedsQL 4.0 scores compared to controls.
- Total scores correlated with visual acuity, and parent-child report correlation was poor (<0.5).
Conclusions:
- The PedsQL 4.0 is a reliable and valid tool for assessing HRQoL in children and teens with low vision.
- It exhibits good internal consistency reliability and construct validity.
- Both child and parent reports are essential for a complete HRQoL assessment in pediatric vision impairment.
Background:
The PedsQL 4.0 is a generic health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) instrument that has been used across many pediatric health conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate its use in children with vision impairment and to test its ability to distinguish between visually impaired and normally sighted children.
Methods:
Children with vision impairment and age-matched controls underwent vision testing, including binocular best-corrected distance visual acuity. They completed the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scale Child Report (ages 8-12) or Teen Report (ages 13-18), as appropriate. Parents completed the Parent Proxy Report in a room separate from their children. Analyses included descriptive statistics, intraclass correlations, t tests, and determination of Cronbach's α for subscales.
Results:
A total of 70 study subjects and 44 controls were included. Groups were similar with regard to age, race, and sex. PedsQL 4.0 subscales showed no floor effects; however, some scales had ceiling effects of up to 28% in certain groups. Cronbach's α was excellent (0.88) for all subscales and reports. PedsQL 4.0 total score for children with vision impairment differed significantly from that for normally sighted children for both age groups and for both parent and child reports. Total score was also significantly associated with visual acuity. Parent and child reports correlated poorly (ICC, <0.5), highlighting the importance of both perspectives.
Conclusions:
The PedsQL 4.0 can be used to assess HRQoL in children and teens with low vision. It has internal consistency reliability, and construct validity.
