title: High validity and reliability of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for Brazilian children with cancer.
abstract: Among the main factors that affect patients' quality of life, fatigue is a significant symptom experienced by children during treatment. Despite the high incidence, there has been no validated scale to evaluate fatigue in children with cancer in Brazil. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, using self-reports of Brazilian children, 8 to 18 years of age, and proxy reports. A cross-sectional method was used to collect data from 216 subjects over an 18-month period. Reliability ranged from .70 to .90 except for sleep/rest fatigue, self-report (α = .55). No floor or ceiling effects were found in any dimension. Convergent validity was higher than .40 and divergent validity had 100% adjustment. The root mean square error of approximation was acceptable. The comparative fit index was lower than expected. The agreement between self and proxy responses was weak and moderate. The results demonstrate the reliability and validity of the Brazilian version in children with cancer. This is the first validated scale that assesses fatigue in Brazilian children and adolescents with cancer.
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil lucila@eerp.usp.br.
authors.forename: Lucila Castanheira
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michelle Darezzo Rodrigues
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ester Leonardo
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emiliana Omena
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Bomfim
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Floria-Santos
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudia Benedita
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danielle Maria de Souza Serio
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Regina Aparecida Garcia
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Lima
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019727:Proxy; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: adolescent; cancer; child; fatigue; validation