Characteristics of health-related self-report measures for children aged three to eight years: a review of the literature
Authors:
Cremeens, J., Eiser, C., and Blades, M.
Abstract:
AIMS: To review and make recommendations about the format and quality of health-related self-report measures for children aged 3-8 years.
METHODS: Literature searches used to identify measures of QOL, self-esteem, self-concept and mental health. The format (i.e., scale type, presentation style) and quality (i.e., item generation, reliability, validity, responsiveness) of measures were compared and evaluated.
RESULTS: Fifty three measures were identified: QOL (n = 25, 47%), self-esteem/concept (n = 15, 28%), mental health (n = 13, 25%). Likert scales were used most frequently to represent response choices (n = 34, 64%). The authors of 11 (21%) measures provided justification for their scale choice. Items were most commonly presented in written format (n = 24, 45%). Item content was generated from the respondent population in only 21 (40%) measures. Twenty-seven (51%) measures reported internal reliability between 0.70 and 0.90, and 12 (23%) reported reproducibility in this range. Although validity was reported for 48 (91%) measures, evidence for three or more aspects occurred for only 9 (17%). Eleven (21%) measures evidenced responsiveness to change.
CONCLUSION: Authors should provide clearer evidence for reliability and responsiveness. Newly developed instruments need to meet established standards, and further studies should assess the impact of scale and presentation types on the psychometrics of measures.
Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period and related symptoms Certain infections and parasitic diseases and related symptoms Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities and related symptoms Diseases of and symptoms related to the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism Diseases of and symptoms related to the circulatory system Diseases of and symptoms related to the digestive system Diseases of and symptoms related to the ear and mastoid process Diseases of and symptoms related to the eye and adnexa Diseases of and symptoms related to the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue Diseases of and symptoms related to the nervous system Diseases of and symptoms related to the respiratory system Diseases of and symptoms related to the skin and subcutaneous tissue Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases and related symptoms External causes of morbidity and mortality Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes Mental and behavioural disorders and related symptoms Neoplasms and related symptoms Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
