Health-related quality of life in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: Association between the PedsQL and KIDSCREEN instruments and comparison with their normative samples

Abstract

Background and aimsOne of the major concerns for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are the mental and physical consequences of the condition, especially as they relate to quality of life factors. Here, we examined health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with DCD, determined the association between two standardized parent reports, and compared HRQOL of our sample with DCD with the normative sample of each assessment for typically developing (TD) children and a sample of children with chronic health conditions. Methods and proceduresParents of children with reported DCD with ages between 6 and 12 completed the PedsQL and KIDSCREEN instruments through an online survey. The PedsQL measures HRQOL in the Physical, Emotional, Social, Academic, and Psychosocial Functioning domains, while the KIDSCREEN assesses HRQOL in Physical and Psychological Well-Being, Autonomy & Parents, Peers & Social Support, and School Environment. Outcomes and resultsPearson’s correlation analyses showed low to moderate correlations between dimensions of the assessments, with the exception of the KIDSCREEN Autonomy & Parents. T-test analyses showed that the group with DCD showed significantly lower scores than the normative samples on the PedsQL and KIDSCREEN, and the PedsQL scores were significantly lower than those of a sample of children experiencing chronic illness. Conclusions and implicationsScores on both instruments state that DCD likely represents a serious problem for children, and add to the body of evidence supporting the notion that children with DCD have lower overall HRQOL. We urge professionals to address or refer these children to services that can help improve children’s quality of life and prevent future health problems.