Quality of life of children and adolescents with visual impairment

Abstract

The conceptual framework of quality of life (QOL) have received considerable attention within students with visual impairment. The main purpose of this study was to analyse the QOL of children and adolescents with low vision and blindness. Data were collected from 18 children and adolescents, and respective parents ( n = 18). QOL was assessed by the KIDSCREEN 52 questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha and correlations were calculated to examine the psychometric properties of the scale in the visual impairment field. The scale showed suitable internal consistency and construct validity. The findings highlighted that the mean scores were higher in participants with low vision, in male group, and in children. Furthermore, children and adolescents reported higher scores regarding their QOL than their parents. The results emphasized the importance of collecting information from the person about his or her own life to know the personal outcomes, as well as the perception of their parents.