Psychometric properties of the Swedish PedsQL, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 generic core scales.
OBJECTIVE
To study the psychometric performance of the Swedish version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 generic core scales in a general child population in Sweden.


METHODS
PedsQL forms were distributed to 2403 schoolchildren and 888 parents in two different school settings. Reliability and validity was studied for self-reports and proxy reports, full forms and short forms. Confirmatory factor analysis tested the factor structure and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis tested measurement invariance between boys and girls.


RESULTS
Test-retest reliability was demonstrated for all scales and internal consistency reliability was shown with alpha value exceeding 0.70 for all scales but one (self-report short form: social functioning). Child-parent agreement was low to moderate. The four-factor structure of the PedsQL and factorial invariance across sex subgroups were confirmed for the self-report forms and for the proxy short form, while model fit indices suggested improvement of several proxy full-form scales.


CONCLUSIONS
The Swedish PedsQL 4.0 generic core scales are a reliable and valid tool for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment in Swedish child populations. The proxy full form, however, should be used with caution. The study also support continued use of the PedsQL as a four-factor model, capable of revealing meaningful HRQoL differences between boys and girls.
Petersen
Solveig
S
Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. solveig.petersen@pediatri.umu.se
Hägglöf
Bruno
B
Stenlund
Hans
H
Bergström
Erik
E
D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000379:methods*; D002666:Psychology, Child / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden