Research

The PedsQL™ Present Functioning Visual Analogue Scales: preliminary reliability and validity

Sandra A Sherman¹ , Sarajane Eisen² , Tasha M Burwinkle³ and James W Varni⁴

¹SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Court, #103, San Diego State, San Diego, CA 92120, USA

²The Interior Design Program, Department of Consumer Affairs, College of Human Sciences, 308 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA

³The Children's Hospital at Scott & White, Department of Pediatrics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, 2401 South 31^st Street, Temple, TX 76508, USA

⁴Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, 3137 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3137, USA

author email corresponding author email

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2006, 4:75doi:10.1186/1477-7525-4-75

Published:	4 October 2006

Abstract

Background

The PedsQL™ Present Functioning Visual Analogue Scales (PedsQL™ VAS) were designed as an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) instrument to rapidly measure present or at-the-moment functioning in children and adolescents. The PedsQL™ VAS assess child self-report and parent-proxy report of anxiety, sadness, anger, worry, fatigue, and pain utilizing six developmentally appropriate visual analogue scales based on the well-established Varni/Thompson Pediatric Pain Questionnaire (PPQ) Pain Intensity VAS format.

Methods

The six-item PedsQL™ VAS was administered to 70 pediatric patients ages 5–17 and their parents upon admittance to the hospital environment (Time 1: T1) and again two hours later (Time 2: T2). It was hypothesized that the PedsQL™ VAS Emotional Distress Summary Score (anxiety, sadness, anger, worry) and the fatigue VAS would demonstrate moderate to large effect size correlations with the PPQ Pain Intensity VAS, and that patient" parent concordance would increase over time.

Results

Test-retest reliability was demonstrated from T1 to T2 in the large effect size range. Internal consistency reliability was demonstrated for the PedsQL™ VAS Total Symptom Score (patient self-report: T1 alpha = .72, T2 alpha = .80; parent proxy-report: T1 alpha = .80, T2 alpha = .84) and Emotional Distress Summary Score (patient self-report: T1 alpha = .74, T2 alpha = .73; parent proxy-report: T1 alpha = .76, T2 alpha = .81). As hypothesized, the Emotional Distress Summary Score and Fatigue VAS were significantly correlated with the PPQ Pain VAS in the medium to large effect size range, and patient and parent concordance increased from T1 to T2.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate preliminary test-retest and internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the PedsQL™ Present Functioning VAS instrument for both pediatric patient self-report and parent proxy-report. Further field testing is required to extend these initial findings to other ecologically relevant pediatric environments.