The proxy problem: child report versus parent report in health-related quality of life research.
This study evaluates the agreement between child and parent reports on children's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a representative sample of 1,105 Dutch children (age 8-11 years old). Both children and their parents completed a 56 item questionnaire (TACQOL). The questionnaire contains seven eight-item scales: physical complaints, motor functioning, autonomy, cognitive functioning, social functioning, positive emotions and negative emotions. The Pearson correlations between the child and parent reports were between 0.44 and 0.61 (p < 0.001). The intraclass correlations were between 0.39 and 0.62. On average, the children reported a significantly lower HRQoL than their parents on the physical complaints, motor functioning, autonomy, cognitive functioning and positive emotions scales (paired t-test: p < 0.05). Agreement on all of the scales was related to the magnitude of the HRQoL scores and to some background variables (gender, age, temporary illness and visiting a physician). According to multitrait-multimethod analyses, both the child and parent reports proved to be valid.
Theunissen
N C
NC
Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
Vogels
T G
TG
Koopman
H M
HM
Verrips
G H
GH
Zwinderman
K A
KA
Verloove-Vanhorick
S P
SP
Wit
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012803:Sick Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires