The PedsQL in pediatric cancer: reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales, Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and Cancer Module.
BACKGROUND
The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is a modular instrument designed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents ages 2-18 years. The PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales are multidimensional child self-report and parent proxy-report scales developed as the generic core measure to be integrated with the PedsQL disease specific modules. The PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was designed to measure fatigue in pediatric patients. The PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module was designed to measure pediatric cancer specific HRQOL.


METHODS
The PedsQL Generic Core Scales, Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and Cancer Module were administered to 339 families (220 child self-reports; 337 parent proxy-reports).


RESULTS
Internal consistency reliability for the PedsQL Generic Core Total Scale Score (alpha = 0.88 child, 0.93 parent report), Multidimensional Fatigue Total Scale Score (alpha = 0.89 child, 0.92 parent report) and most Cancer Module Scales (average alpha = 0.72 child, 0.87 parent report) demonstrated reliability acceptable for group comparisons. Validity was demonstrated using the known-groups method. The PedsQL distinguished between healthy children and children with cancer as a group, and among children on-treatment versus off-treatment. The validity of the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was further demonstrated through hypothesized intercorrelations with dimensions of generic and cancer specific HRQOL.


CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrate the reliability and validity of the PedsQL Generic Core Scales, Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and Cancer Module in pediatric cancer. The PedsQL may be utilized as an outcome measure in clinical trials, research, and clinical practice.
Varni
James W
JW
Center for Child Health Outcomes, Children's Hospital and Health Center, 3020 Children's Way, San Diego, CA 92123, USA. jvarni@chsd.org
Burwinkle
Tasha M
TM
Katz
Ernest R
ER
Meeske
Kathy
K
Dickinson
Paige
P
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires