The KIDSCREEN-27 quality of life measure for children and adolescents: psychometric results from a cross-cultural survey in 13 European countries.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the construct and criterion validity of the KIDSCREEN-27 health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire, a shorter version of the KIDSCREEN-52.


METHODS
The five-dimensional KIDSCREEN-27 was tested in a sample of 22,827. For criterion validity the correlation with and the percentage explained variance of the scores of the KIDSCREEN-52 instrument were examined. Construct validity was assessed by testing a priori expected associations with other generic HRQoL measures (YQOL-S, PedsQL, CHIP), indicators of physical and mental health, and socioeconomic status. Age and gender differences were investigated.


RESULTS
Correlation with corresponding scales of the KIDSCREEN-52 ranged from r = 0.63 to r = 0.96, and r2 ranged from 0.39 to 0.92. Correlations between other HRQoL questionnaires and KIDSCREEN-27 dimensions were moderate to high for those assessing similar constructs (r = 0.36 to 0.63). Statistically significant and sizeable differences between physically and mentally healthy and ill children were found in all KIDSCREEN-27 dimensions together with strong associations with psychosomatic complaints (r = -0.52). Most of the KIDSCREEN-27 dimensions showed a gradient according to socio-economic status, age and gender.


CONCLUSIONS
The KIDSCREEN-27 seems to be a valid measure of HRQoL in children and adolescents. Further research is needed to assess longitudinal validity and sensitivity to change.
Ravens-Sieberer
Ulrike
U
School of Public Health, WHO Collaborating Center for Child and Adolescent Health Promotion, University of Bielefeld, PB 10 01 31, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany. U.Ravens-Sieberer@uni-bielefeld.de
Auquier
Pascal
P
Erhart
Michael
M
Gosch
Angela
A
Rajmil
Luis
L
Bruil
Jeanet
J
Power
Mick
M
Duer
Wolfgang
W
Cloetta
Bernhard
B
Czemy
Ladislav
L
Mazur
Joanna
J
Czimbalmos
Agnes
A
Tountas
Yannis
Y
Hagquist
Curt
C
Kilroe
Jean
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D054521:Cultural Competency; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003469:Culture; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012106:Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires