The Validity and Reliability Of Pediatric Quality Of Life Inventory In 8- 12 Year Old Turkish Children

Abstract

Objective: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is a modular instrument for measuring health related quality of life of 2-18 year-old-children. In this study, the objective is to evaluate the validity and reliability of PedsQL in 8-12 year-old-children in Turkey. Method: 334 children and their parents were enrolled in the study. There were three groups-healthy children, children with acute diseases and children with chronic diseases. PedsQL\'s reliability was measured by internal consistency and item-internal consistency. PedsQL\'s validity was demonstrated by using the known-groups method that is comparing the PedsQL scores of healthy children, children with acute diseases and children with chronic diseases with each other; observing the correlations of scale scores with indicators of morbidity and illness burden and calculating the correlations among children and parent scores. Results: The internal consistency of the scale was determined as 0,86 in the child self report, 0,88 in parent proxy report. There were low to medium level statistically significant, inversely proportional correlation between PedsQL scores and many indicators of morbidity and illness burden Discussion: We may conclude that PedsQL is valid and reliable in evaluating the life quality of 8-12 year-old-Turkish children.