title: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the self-report health-related quality of life measure for children and adolescents with epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this validation study was to evaluate the internal consistency (internal reliability) and test-retest reliability (external reliability) of the Chinese version of the self-report health-related quality of life measure for children and adolescents with epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children and adolescents with epilepsy between the ages of 8 and 18 years were conveniently sampled in two regional hospitals in Hong Kong. They were requested to complete the 25-item questionnaire twice, with a test-retest interval of 10 to 14 days. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were measured with Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A sample of 50 patients completed the first questionnaire. Internal consistency was adequate on four of five subscales and marginal in the remaining one. Forty-two subjects repeated the questionnaire. The test-retest reliability was acceptable for all five subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Chinese version of the health-related quality of life measure for children and adolescents with epilepsy demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Further studies are required to study other psychometric properties such as construct validity and factor analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China. ma_kam_hung@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kam Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ka Ling
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Yam
authors.forename: Kwing Wan
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Tsui
authors.forename: Fai To
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Yau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires