title: The Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Quality of Life Scale for children and adolescents (C&A-GTS-QOL): development and validation of the Italian version.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a chronic childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder with a significant impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HR-QOL). Cavanna et al. (Neurology 2008; 71: 1410-1416) developed and validated the first disease-specific HR-QOL assessment tool for adults with GTS (Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Quality of Life Scale, GTS-QOL). This paper presents the translation, adaptation and validation of the GTS-QOL for young Italian patients with GTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A three-stage process involving 75 patients with GTS recruited through three Departments of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry in Italy led to the development of a 27-item instrument (Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Quality of Life Scale in children and adolescents, C&A-GTS-QOL) for the assessment of HR-QOL through a clinician-rated interview for 6-12 year-olds and a self-report questionnaire for 13-18 year-olds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The C&A-GTS-QOL demonstrated satisfactory scaling assumptions and acceptability. Internal consistency reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha > 0.7) and validity was supported by interscale correlations (range 0.4-0.7), principal-component factor analysis and correlations with other rating scales and clinical variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present version of the C&A-GTS-QOL is the first disease-specific HR-QOL tool for Italian young patients with GTS, satisfying criteria for acceptability, reliability and validity.
authors.affiliation: Michael Trimble Neuropsychiatry Research Group, BSMHFT and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. A.cavanna77@tin.it
authors.forename: Andrea E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cavanna
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luoni
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Selvini
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blangiardo
authors.forename: Clare M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Eddy
authors.forename: Paola R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: Paola V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Calì
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seri
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Balottin
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Termine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*