Axel Neu

Purpose: The impact of pediatric traumatic brain injury (pTBI) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents remains understudied. Short scales have some advantages in terms of economy and administration over longer scales, especially in younger children. The aim of the present study is to psychometrically evaluate the six-item German version of the QOLIBRI-OS-KID/ADO scale for children and adolescents. In addition, reference values from a general German pediatric population are obtained to assist clinicians and researchers in the interpretation of HRQoL after pTBI. Methods: A total of 297 individuals after TBI and 1997 from a general population sample completed the questionnaire. Reliability, validity, and comparability of the assessed construct were examined. Results: The questionnaire showed satisfactory reliability (α = 0.75 and ω = 0.81 and α = 0.85 and ω = 0.86 for the TBI and general population samples, respectively). The QOLIBRI-OS-KID/ADO was highly correlated with its long version (R² = 67%) and showed an overlap with generic HRQoL (R² = 55%) in the TBI sample. The one-dimensional factorial structure could be replicated and tested for measurement invariance between samples, indicating a comparable HRQoL construct assessment. Therefore, reference values and cut-offs indicating clinically relevant impairment could be provided using percentiles stratified by factors significantly associated with the total score in the regression analyses (i.e., age group and gender). Conclusion: In combination with the cut-offs, the QOLIBRI-OS-KID/ADO provides a cost-effective screening tool, complemented by interpretation guidelines, which may help to draw clinical conclusions and indications such as further administration of a longer version of the instrument to gain more detailed insight into impaired HRQoL domains or omission of further steps in the absence of an indication.

Until recently, no disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire existed for pediatric traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). In this revalidation study, the psychometric properties and the validity of the 35-item QOLIBRI-KID/ADO questionnaire in its final German version were examined in 300 children and adolescents. It is the first self-reported TBI-specific tool for measuring pediatric HRQoL in individuals aged between 8 and 17 years. The six-factor model fits the data adequately. The questionnaire’s internal consistency was excellent for the total score and satisfactory to excellent for the scale scores. Intraclass correlations indicated good test–retest reliability, and the measure’s construct validity was supported by the overlap between the QOLBRI-KID/ADO and the PedsQL, which measures generic HRQoL. The discriminant validity tests showed that older children and girls reported a significantly lower HRQoL than comparison groups, and this was also true of children who were anxious or depressed, or who suffered from post-concussion symptoms, replicating the results of the questionnaire’s first developmental study. Our results suggest that the QOLIBRI-KID/ADO is a reliable and valid multidimensional tool that can be used together with the adult version in clinical contexts and research to measure disease-specific HRQoL after pediatric TBI throughout a person’s life. This may help improve care, treatment, daily functioning, and HRQoL after TBI.

Until recently, no disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument existed for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this revalidation study, the psychometric properties and the validity of the final German version of the 35-item QOLIBRI-KID/ADO questionnaire were examined in 300 children and adolescents. It is the first self-reported TBI-specific instrument for measuring pediatric HRQoL in individuals aged 8–17 years. The six-factor model fits the data adequately. Internal consistencies were excellent for the total score and satisfactory to excellent for the scale scores. Intraclass correlations indicated good test-retest reliability. Construct validity was supported by overlaps between the QOLBRI-KID/ADO and the PedsQL, which measures generic HRQoL. Discriminant validity indicated that HRQoL was significantly lower in older children and girls, and in those with anxiety, depression, and post-concussion symptoms than in comparison groups, replicating the results of the questionnaire’s first development study. Our results suggest that the QOLIBRI-KID/ADO is a valid and reliable multidimensional instrument for assessing disease-specific HRQoL after pediatric TBI in clinical and research settings, which can additionally be used across the lifespan in combination with the adult version. This may help to improve care, treatment, daily functioning and HRQoL after TBI.