Quality of Life as reported by school children and their parents: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

BackgroundComprehensive evidence exists regarding the discrepancy between children's reports and parents' by proxy reports on emotional and behavioural problems. However, little is yet known about factors influencing the extent to which child self- and parent by proxy reports differ in respect of child Quality of Life (QoL). The aim of the study was to investigate the degree of discrepancy between child and parent by proxy reports as measured by two different QoL instruments.MethodsA representative Norwegian sample of 1997 school children aged 8–16 years, and their parents were studied using the Inventory of Life Quality (ILC) and the 'Kinder Lebensqualität Fragebogen' (KINDL). Child and parent reports were compared by t-test, and correlations were calculated by Pearson product moment coefficient. Psychometric aspects were examined in regard to both translated QoL instruments (internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability by intraclass correlation coefficients).ResultsParents evaluated the QoL of their children significantly more positively than did the children. Correlations between mother-child and father-child reports were significant (p < 0.01) and similar but low to moderate (r = 0.32; and r = 0.30, respectively, for the KINDL, and r = 0.30 and r = 0.26, respectively, for the ILC). Mother and father reports correlated moderately highly (r = 0.54 and r = 0.61 for the KINDL and ILC, respectively). No significant differences between correlations of mother-daughter/son and father-daughter/son pairs in regard to reported child QoL were observed on either of the two instruments.ConclusionIn the present general population sample, parents reported higher child QoL than did their children. Concordance between child and parent by proxy report was low to moderate. The level of agreement between mothers and fathers in regard to their child's QoL was moderate. No significant impact of parent and child gender in regard to agreement in ratings of child QoL was found. Both the child and parent versions of the Norwegian translations of the KINDL and ILC can be used in surveys of community populations, but in regard to the self-report of 9–10 years old children, only the KINDL total QoL scale or the ILC are recommended.

Quality of life in children with OCD before and after treatment

“…For example, Huppert and colleagues [27] found that QoL scores in individuals in remission tended to be between those of healthy controls and individuals with current OCD, and to not differ significantly from either group. Moritz and colleagues [31] found significantly improved QoL in therapy responders relative to non-responders but that compromised QoL persisted in most patients over time.…”

“…Psychometric testing of the KINDL-R revealed good scale utilization and scale fit as well as moderate internal consistency [26]. A Norwegian normative study also confirmed satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability [27].…”

“…To date, four review articles on QoL in adults with OCD have been published [23][24][25][26], all of which concluded that QoL was markedly lower in patients with OCD compared with the general population. Hupert and colleagues [27] for example, found significantly lower QoL in the OCD group compared with healthy controls. In their paper, they described the shortcomings of many of the previous studies as follows: (1) lack of comparison between individuals in remission with individuals who continue to have the disorder, (2) comparison only with population norms and lack of comparison with a matched normal sample and (3) lack of consideration of the impact of 4 comorbidity in some studies.…”

“…In a long-term follow-up of 142 children and adolescents with OCD over five years [4], the persistence rate of OCD was 41%; functional impairment and QoL were mildly to moderately affected. QoL was assessed at follow-up at a point in time when the mean age of the participants was 18.6 years (SD =3.5, range [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] and 61% reported very much or much improvement of OCD symptoms. Baseline data were not available.…”

“…A general population control was not available in this study. In a study of long-term outcomes of 142 children and adolescents with OCD, Micali and colleagues [4] reported mildly to moderately affected QoL assessed at follow-up when the mean age of the participants was 18.6 years (SD = 3.5, range [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. At this time, 61% reported very much or much improvement in OCD symptoms; QoL was not assessed at baseline.…”