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.
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
Ulrike
U
Ravens-Sieberer
Pascal
P
Auquier
Michael
M
Erhart
Angela
A
Gosch
Luis
L
Rajmil
Jeanet
J
Bruil
Mick
M
Power
Wolfgang
W
Duer
Bernhard
B
Cloetta
Ladislav
L
Czemy
Joanna
J
Mazur
Agnes
A
Czimbalmos
Yannis
Y
Tountas
Curt
C
Hagquist
Jean
J
Kilroe
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