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Developing a quality of life measure for children aged 5‐8 years
Author(s) -
Jirojanakul Pragai,
Skevington Suzanne
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
british journal of health psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 2044-8287
pISSN - 1359-107X
DOI - 10.1348/135910700168937
Subject(s) - psychology , quality of life (healthcare) , construct (python library) , construct validity , face validity , focus group , reliability (semiconductor) , developmental psychology , psychometrics , content validity , clinical psychology , internal consistency , perception , power (physics) , physics , marketing , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , computer science , business , psychotherapist , programming language
Objectives. This study describes the development of a self‐reported quality of life measure for children‐the C‐QOL‐for Thai children aged 5‐8 years. The underlying concepts and procedure for assessing quality of life are based on the WHOQOL. Design and methods. The WHOQOL construct, consisting of 24 facets subsumed in six domains, was examined by focus group interviews to establish whether they were relevant to the quality of life. Ten focus groups (six with children and four with mothers) containing 31 children and 19 mothers were conducted. Two sets of questionnaires were developed and then further tested for psychometric properties with a sample of 35 children and 30 carers in a second study. Results. The analysis of quantitative data showed that the WHOQOL construct was relevant to the quality of life of Thai children. The information based on qualitative data enabled two sets of the C‐QOL to be developed: a children's form and a carer's form. Study 2 shows that there were differences between the parents' and children's scores on only seven facets out of 26 and mostly in the psychological domain, so the children's perceptions of their quality of life are largely confirmed by their carers. Preliminary psychometric analysis demonstrates face and content validity of the measure and showed good internal consistency and test‐retest reliability. Item analysis was performed to select the most acceptable items and to revise the scales. Conclusions. This measure draws upon the experience of children and their mothers and uses their reports in developing a multidimensional, child‐centred measure. It provides a model for carrying out this work with children in other countries and other age groups.