title: Development and validation of a question prompt list for parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a Delphi study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Question prompt lists (QPLs) are structured lists of disease and treatment-specific questions intended to encourage patient question-asking during consultations with clinicians. The aim of this study was to develop a QPL intended for use by parents of children affected by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The QPL content (111 questions) was derived through thematic analysis of existing ADHD- and QPL-related resources. A modified Delphi method, involving a three-round web-based survey, was used to reach consensus about the QPL content. Thirty-six experts were recruited into either a professional [paediatricians, child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, researchers (n =28)] or non-professional panel [parents of children diagnosed with ADHD, ADHD consumer advocates (n = 8)]. Panel members were asked to rate the importance of the QPL content using a five-point scale ranging from 'Essential' to 'Should not be included'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 122 questions, including 11 new questions suggested by panellists, were rated by both panels. Of these, 88 (72%) were accepted for inclusion in the QPL. Of the accepted questions, 39 were re-rated during two follow-up survey rounds and 29 (74%) were subsequently accepted for inclusion. The questions covered key topics including diagnosis, understanding ADHD, treatment, health-care team, monitoring ADHD, managing ADHD, future expectations and support and information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first ADHD-specific QPL to be developed and the first use of the Delphi method to validate the content of any QPL. It is anticipated that the QPL will assist parents in obtaining relevant, reliable information and empowering their treatment decisions by enhancing the potential for shared decision making with clinicians.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Kirsten J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: McCaffery
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aslani
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: ADHD; Delphi method; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; question prompt list; shared decision making