Interpretability of the PedsQL™ Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scales and Gastrointestinal Worry Scales in Pediatric Patients With Functional and Organic Gastrointestinal Diseases

James W Varni; Cristiane B Bendo; Robert J Shulman; Mariella M Self; Samuel Nurko; James P Franciosi; Miguel Saps; Shehzad Saeed; George M Zacur; Chelsea Vaughan Dark; John F Pohl; Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Gastrointestinal Symptoms Module Testing Study Consortium

doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsv005

Interpretability of the PedsQL™ Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scales and Gastrointestinal Worry Scales in Pediatric Patients With Functional and Organic Gastrointestinal Diseases

J Pediatr Psychol. 2015 Jul;40(6):591-601. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsv005. Epub 2015 Feb 13.

Collaborators

Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Gastrointestinal Symptoms Module Testing Study Consortium:
Jolanda Denham, Deborah A Neigut, Ashish S Patel, Barbara Verga

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Center for Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, and Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Center for Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, and Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah jvarni@arch.tamu.edu.
² Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Center for Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, and Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah.
³ Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Center for Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, and Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Center for Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, and Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah.

Abstract

Objective: The present study investigates the clinical interpretability of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL™) Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scales and Worry Scales in pediatric patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders or organic gastrointestinal diseases in comparison with healthy controls.

Methods: The PedsQL™ Gastrointestinal Scales were completed by 587 patients with gastrointestinal disorders/diseases and 685 parents, and 513 healthy children and 337 parents. Minimal important difference (MID) scores were derived from the standard error of measurement (SEM). Cut-points were derived based on one and two standard deviations (SDs) from the healthy reference means.

Results: The percentages of patients below the scales' cut-points were significantly greater than the healthy controls (most p values ≤ .001). Scale scores 2 SDs from the healthy reference means were within the range of scores for pediatric patients with a gastrointestinal disorder. MID values were generated using the SEM.

Conclusions: The findings support the clinical interpretability of the new PedsQL™ Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scales and Worry Scales.

Keywords: PedsQL.; gastrointestinal symptoms; minimal important difference; patient-reported outcomes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anxiety / complications
Anxiety / diagnosis*
Anxiety / psychology*
Attitude to Health*
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Gastrointestinal Diseases / complications
Gastrointestinal Diseases / diagnosis*
Gastrointestinal Diseases / psychology*
Humans
Male
Parents
Pediatrics
Psychometrics
Quality of Life
Reproducibility of Results
Surveys and Questionnaires / standards*

Interpretability of the PedsQL™ Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scales and Gastrointestinal Worry Scales in Pediatric Patients With Functional and Organic Gastrointestinal Diseases

Authors

Collaborators

Affiliations

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding