Linguistical and psychometric validation of the MIND Youth Questionnaire (My-Q) in Swedish

The Mind Youth Questionnaire is a multidimensional health-related quality-of-life questionnaire designed for pediatric diabetes care and exists in Dutch, English, and Spanish.

The aim of this study was to linguistically and psychometrically validate the Mind Youth Questionnaire (My-Q) for Swedish-speaking youths with type 1 diabetes. The linguistic process of the Dutch version followed ISPOR´s guidelines. For face validity, youths with type 1 diabetes and diabetes nurses were interviewed. Three stigma items were included. The final Swedish My-Q consists of 38 items. A total of 166 youths (10-19 years) completed the My-Q and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory diabetes module. A 2nd -order confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using the nine-factor Dutch and five-factor Spanish versions.

The 2nd -order nine-factor solution (social impact, parents, diabetes control perceptions, responsibilities, worries, treatment satisfaction, body image and eating behavior, stigma, and mood) showed adequate fit: χ2(551) = 828.36 (p < .01), Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.90, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.05 [0.05,0.06], Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) = 0.08. The nine-factor solution and grouping of the items followed a clear rationale. The reliability coefficients of the total scale were adequate, α = 0.86, Ω = 0.90, and Ω for all the factors ranged from 0.49 to 0.88. The relationships between My-Q factors and sociodemographic variables revealed that boys had better health-related quality of life than girls. Younger youths reported better health-related quality of life in terms of body image and eating behavior (p=.005). Concurrent validity was confirmed, as all the factors were positively related to all the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory diabetes module factors. A negative correlation was found between the level of glycated hemoglobin and the My-Q score (r=-.258, p < .001).

The Swedish My-Q has adequate psychometric properties and can be used in research and for routine psychosocial assessment.