The reliability of the health related quality of life questionnaire PedsQL 3.0 cancer module in a sample of Swedish children.

BACKGROUND: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is a modular instrument, designed to integrate generic and disease specific measures, and includes both self- and proxy-reports. The aim of the study was to assess the reliability and limited validity of the Swedish version of the disease specific Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.0 Cancer Module Scales (PedsQL 3.0), in a sample of Swedish children diagnosed with cancer. METHOD: A total of 94 families at The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University participated in the study. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL 4.0) and the PedsQL 3.0 were administered to 63 children (aged 5-18 years) with cancer and to 94 parents of children with cancer aged 2-18 years. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the PedsQL 3.0, reached or exceeded Cronbach's alpha values of 0.70 for both -self- and proxy-reports. The PedsQL 4.0 and PedsQL 3.0 were highly correlated (r = 0.94 for proxy-reports and r = 0.91 for self-reports), indicating convergent validity. CONCLUSION: PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module Scales can be used as a valuable tool for measuring cancer-specific HRQOL in child populations, both in research and in clinical practice.

The reliability and validity of the revised Diabetes Family Conflict Scale questionnaire, in a sample of Swedish children.

AIM: The overall aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the revised Diabetes Family Conflict Scale (DFCS), in a Swedish sample of children, mothers and fathers. A second aim was to analyse maternal and paternal effects separately. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-nine families from two diabetes centres participated in the study. The revised DFCS was administered to children aged 8-18 years and their parents. Internal consistency of the scale was measured with Cronbach's alpha, and its concurrent validity was evaluated using bivariate correlations. Independent t-tests were performed to test for differences between mother- and father reports. RESULTS: The revised DFCS total scale exceeded the criteria for satisfactory internal consistency for the child-, mother- and father reports, as did the subscale direct management, with α-values ranging from 0.72 to 0.81. Furthermore, a higher level of reported conflict on the total scale was associated with poorer metabolic control, thus confirming concurrent validity of the instrument. This was true for mother-, father- and child reports. CONCLUSION: In summary, the study concludes that the revised DFCS can be utilized as a valuable tool both in a research setting and in clinical practice.