The European KIDSCREEN approach to measure quality of life and well-being in children: development, current application, and future advances

Abstract

PurposeThe KIDSCREEN questionnaires were developed by a collaborative effort of European pediatric researchers for use in epidemiologic public health surveys, clinical intervention studies, and research projects. The article gives an overview of the development of the tool, summarizes its extensive applications in Europe, and describes the development of a new computerized adaptive test (KIDS-CAT) based on KIDSCREEN experiences.MethodsThe KIDSCREEN versions (self-report and proxy versions with 52, 27, and 10 items) were simultaneously developed in 13 different European countries to warrant cross-cultural applicability, using methods based on classical test theory (CTT: descriptive statistics, CFA and MAP, internal consistency, retest reliability measures) and item response theory (IRT: Rasch modeling, DIF analyses, etc.). The KIDS-CAT was developed (in cooperation with the US pediatric PROMIS project) based on archival data of European KIDSCREEN health surveys using IRT more extensively (IRC).ResultsResearch has shown that the KIDSCREEN is a reliable, valid, sensitive, and conceptually/linguistically appropriate QoL measure in 38 countries/languages by now. European and national norm data are available. New insights from KIDSCREEN studies stimulate pediatric health care. Based on KIDSCREEN, the Kids-CAT promises to facilitate a very efficient, precise, as well as reliable and valid assessment of QoL.ConclusionsThe KIDSCREEN has standardized QoL measurement in Europe in children as a valid and cross-cultural comparable tool. The Kids-CAT has the potential to further advance pediatric health measurement and care via Internet application.

Reliability and validity of Japanese versions of KIDSCREEN-27 and KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaires

“…Higher scores indicate better HRQOL. Figure 1 shows the dimensions of the KIDSC-REEN instruments and relationships between versions [10]. The KIDSCREEN-27 and -10 require approximately 10 and 5 min to complete, respectively, compared to 15 min for the KIDSCREEN-52.…”

“…The SDQ is a brief screening Fig. 1 Dimensions of the KIDSCREEN and relationships between versions [10] questionnaire designed for children and adolescents that asks about their mental health symptoms and positive attitudes over the previous 6 months. We used the total difficulties score, which is the sum of four components: emotional symptoms (5 items), conduct problems (5 items), hyperactivity/inattention (5 items), and peer problems (5 items).…”

“…Since these shorter versions are practical to use and have a low administrative burden while maintaining many of the advantages of the KIDSCREEN-52 [10], they have been used in many countries for large-scale population-based studies [11,12], studies that investigate factors that impact the HRQOL of children with chronic diseases or conditions [13,14], and interventional [15] and longitudinal studies [16,17]. In particular, the use of these questionnaires for studies of HRQOL of children with mental health problems has increased [18][19][20].…”

Propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud KIDSCREEN-27 en adolescentes chilenos

“…Esta versión por ser más corta que la del KIDS-CREEN-52 podría ser más útil en ciertos estudios de salud poblacional a gran escala o para uso en la práctica clínica, también ha probado tener buenas propiedades psicométricas 6 y se ha adaptado y validado en países de Sudamérica 2,7,8 .…”

Comparison of the self and the proxy versions of the KIDSCREEN quality of life scale: To what extend can parents predict quality of life of their children?

“…Bu projede hem genel amaçlı SYK ölçeği KIDSCREEN hem de hastalık ve kronik duruma özel ölçek olan DISABKIDS geliştirilmiştir (5,14) . Modern test tekniklerinin kullanıldığı ve kültürler arası geçer-liliği yapılan KIDSCREEN (13,15) sonradan geçerlilik çalışması ile kültürlerine uyarlanan ülkeler ile toplamda 38 dilde geçerlilik çalışması yapılmış, 50'nin üzerinde klinik ve epidemiyolojik araştırmada kullanılmıştır (16) .…”