Article: The proxy problem: child report versus parent report in health-related quality of life research

This study evaluates the agreement between child and parent reports on children’s Health related Quality of Life (HrQOL) in a representative sample of 1105 Dutch children (age 8 to 11 years old). According to Multitrait-Multimethod analyses, both child and parent versions of the TACQOL proved to be valid.

Theunissen, N.C.M., Vogels, A.G.C., Koopman, H.M., Verrips, G.H., Zwinderman, A.H., Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P., & Wit, J.M. (1998). The proxy problem: child report versus parent report in health-related quality of life research. Quality of Life Research, 7, 387-397.

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Abstract

This study evaluates the agreement between child and parent reports on children’s Health related Quality of Life (HrQOL) in a representative sample of 1105 Dutch children (age 8 to 11 years old). Both children and their parents completed a 56 item questionnaire (TACQOL). The questionnaire contains seven eight-item scales: physical complaints, motor functioning, autonomy, cognitive functioning, social functioning, positive and negative emotions. The Pearson correlations between child and parent reports were between 0.44 to 0.61 (p<0.001). Intraclass correlations were between 0.39 to 0.62. Children on average reported significantly lower HrQOL than parents on the physical complaints, motor functioning, autonomy, cognitive functioning, and positive emotions scales (paired t-test: p<0.05). Agreement on all scales was related to the height of the HrQOL scores and to some background variables (gender, age, temporary illness, visiting a physician). According to Multitrait-Multimethod analyses, both child and parent reports on HrQOL proved to be valid.

Keywords

health related quality of life, health status, proxy, child report, parent report,

Topic: Health Psychology
Code: N0707