Translation, adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Quality of Life in a Child’s Chronic Disease Questionnaire for the Swedish context

Abstract

Abstract Background It is well known that a child’s illness influences the health and wellbeing of the child’s parents, who play a central role in coping with the disease in the family’s everyday life. It is crucial to develop and test interventions supporting the family during these circumstances. However, there is a lack of instruments to evaluate the effects of such interventions on family and psychosocial aspects of parental functioning. The aim of this study was therefore to translate, adapt and psychometrically evaluate the Quality of Life in a Child’s Chronic Disease Questionnaire (QLCCDQ) for the Swedish context. Methods The QLCCDQ was translated into Swedish and adapted to the Swedish context. Data for psychometric testing were obtained through a survey of parents of children and adolescents (n = 627) with chronic diseases: asthma and type 1 diabetes mellitus, with a total of 173 responses (27.6%). Face and content validity of the instrument was assessed, and floor and ceiling effects were measured. Internal consistency was measured with Cronbach’s alpha and an explanatory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted. Results The EFA gave a two-factor solution with an eigenvalue > 1 explaining 73.9% of total variance for the Swedish version. Conclusion The study concludes that the Swedish version of the QLCCDQ is a reliable and valid questionnaire.