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First stage international validation of the pediatric family needs questionnaire (FNQ-P)
Caron Gan1,2, Ingrid Van't Hooft3, Naomi Brookes4
1Bloorview Research Institute , Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
The Family Needs Questionnaire - Pediatric (FNQ-P) shows good reliability for assessing family needs after acquired brain injury (ABI). Further validation is suggested, as child characteristics did not impact scores.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Psychology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Acquired brain injury (ABI) in children presents unique challenges for families.
- Assessing the unmet needs of families is crucial for effective support and intervention.
- Existing measures may not fully capture the specific needs of families with a child with ABI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and construct validity of the Family Needs Questionnaire - Pediatric (FNQ-P).
- To determine if child characteristics influence FNQ-P scores in families affected by pediatric ABI.
Main Methods:
- The FNQ-P was administered for test-retest reliability assessment across four international sites.
- Construct validity was examined using the Family Burden of Injury Inventory and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
- Stepwise regression analyzed associations between FNQ-P scores and child's age, injury severity, time post-injury, and study site.
Main Results:
- The FNQ-P demonstrated good test-retest reliability (ICC=0.78).
- A weak association was found between FNQ-P and the Family Burden of Injury Inventory (r=-0.23, P=0.049).
- No significant associations were observed between FNQ-P scores and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, or with child characteristics.
Conclusions:
- The FNQ-P is a reliable measure for assessing family needs post-pediatric acquired brain injury.
- Further validation studies are recommended to fully establish construct validity.
- The independence of FNQ-P scores from child characteristics suggests it measures a distinct construct of family needs.
Objectives:
1. Evaluate reliability and construct validity of the newly-developed Family Needs Questionnaire - Pediatric (FNQ-P), a 40-item measure assessing the extent to which family's needs are met after a child has an acquired brain injury (ABI). 2. Explore the impact of selected child characteristics on FNQ-P scores.
Research Design: Measurement Study:
Methods: Parents/caregivers of children with ABI (2-18 years) were recruited across four sites (Canada, Sweden, Lithuania, Australia) for FNQ-P test-retest evaluation. These sites plus a fifth (United Kingdom) completed construct validity evaluation with the Family Burden of Injury Inventory and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Associations between FNQ-P score and age, injury severity, time post-injury and site were evaluated via stepwise regression.
Results:
FNQ-P mean scores (n=61) were 64.1% (SD 22.3) and 58.8% (SD 22.6) on test and retest, respectively. Test-retest reliability was good overall (ICC=0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.86). There was a weak association between FNQ-P and FBII (r=-0.23, P=0.049, n=71), but no association between FNQ-P and SDQ scores (maximum r=0.16, P>0.15). None of the variables studied predicted FNQ-P scores.
Conclusion:
The FNQ-P demonstrated good test-retest reliability. Further validity assessment is recommended. Lack of relationship between FNQ-P and variables studied suggests independence of family needs.
