Validation of the Pediatric Voice-Related Quality-of-Life Survey

Abstract

To validate the Pediatric Voice-Related Quality-of-Life (PVRQOL) survey, which was designed to assess voice changes over time in the pediatric population. Prospective longitudinal study. Outpatient pediatric otolaryngology office practice. One hundred twenty parents of children aged 2 through 18 years having a variety of otolaryngological diagnoses including disorders that affect the voice. The previously validated Pediatric Voice Outcomes Survey and the PVRQOL were jointly administered to the parents of the study participants. Test-retest reliability was accomplished by having 70 caregivers repeat the instrument 2 weeks after the initial visit. The Cronbach alpha value was calculated to determine reliability. Instrument validity was determined by examining convergent and discriminant validity. Correlation of PVRQOL scores with Pediatric Voice Outcomes Survey scores. Reliability of the PVRQOL was established by evaluating the Cronbach alpha value (.96; P<.001) and by test-retest reliability (weighted kappa value, 0.8). Validity of the PVQROL was tested by evaluating its ability to show significant change in voice-related quality-of-life after adenoidectomy (discriminant validity) (P<.001). The PVQROL also proved valid when the overall score was correlated with the previously validated Pediatric Voice Outcomes Survey (r = 0.7; P<.001). The PVRQOL is a more comprehensive survey than the previously validated Pediatric Voice Outcomes Survey and is another valid instrument to examine the health-related quality-of-life issues in pediatric voice disorders.