OBJECTIVETo evaluate the reliability and validity of parent proxy-report scales of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) Generic Core Scales, the Chinese Version.

METHODS3493 school students aged 6-18 years were recruited using multistage cluster sampling method. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the above-mentioned PedsQL 4.0 scales. The internal consistency was assessed, using Cronbach's a coefficient, while its validity was tested through correlation analysis, t-test and exploratory factor analysis.

RESULTSThe internal consistency reliability for Total Scale Score (Cronbach's alpha = 0.90), Physical Health Summary Score (alpha= 0.81), and Psychosocial Health Summary Score (alpha= 0.89) were excellent. Six major factors were extracted by factor analysis which basically matched the designed structure of the original version accounting for nearly 66% of the variance. The total Scale Score significantly decreased by 3.5 to 13.3 (P < 0.05) in children and adolescents who had diseases including cold, skin hypersensitiveness, food allergy, courbature or arthralgia, breathlessness with a frequency of 6 times or more per year or had asthma as compared to those with lower frequency (< or = 5 times/y) of the diseases or without asthma. We found moderate to high correlations between items and the subscales. Correlation coefficients ranged between 0.45 to 0.84 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe reliability and validity of the parent proxy-report scales of PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales of the Chinese Version were as good as the original version. Our findings suggested that the scales could be applied to evaluate the health-related quality of life in childhood children in similar Chinese regions to Guangzhou.