The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory: An Evaluation of Its Reliability and Validity for Children With Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

McCarthy ML, MacKenzie EJ, Durbin DR, Aitken ME, Jaffe KM, Paidas CN, Slomine BS, Dorsch AM, Berk RA, Christensen JR, Ding R, and the CHAT Study Group. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory: an evaluation of its reliability and validity for children with traumatic brain injury. Objectives To assess the reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, version 4.0 (PedsQL), and to compare it with that of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) among children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Prospective cohort study that documented the health-related quality of life of 391 children at 3 and 12 months postinjury. Setting Four level I pediatric trauma centers. Participants Children (age range, 5–15y) hospitalized with a TBI or an extremity fracture. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Parent-reported PedsQL and BRIEF scale scores. Results Both the PedsQL and BRIEF scales showed good internal consistency (PedsQL α range, .74–.93; BRIEF α range, .82–.98) and test-retest reliability (PedsQL r range, .75–.90; BRIEF r range, .82–.92), respectively. Factor analysis revealed that most PedsQL items loaded most highly on their conceptually derived scale. The PedsQL cognitive function scale detected the largest differences among groups of children with varying severities of TBI as well as parents’ assessment of change in cognition postinjury. Conclusions Although the reliability of the 2 instruments is comparable, the PedsQL discriminates better among children with TBI. The PedsQL is a promising instrument for measuring the health of children after TBI.