A psychometric investigation of health-related quality of life measures for paediatric neurodevelopment assessment: Reliability and concurrent validity of the PEDS-QL, CHU-9D, and the EQ-5D-Y.
PedsQL and CHU-9D are quick, reliable ways to track quality of life in kids with neurodevelopmental needs.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team tested three short surveys that ask kids how they feel. They wanted to know if the surveys give steady answers and match a longer parent form.
Kids had autism, developmental delay, or other brain-based needs. Parents filled out the same surveys at one clinic visit.
What they found
PedsQL and CHU-9D showed strong, steady scores. Their totals lined up with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.
Children with neurodevelopmental needs scored low on all three surveys. This tells us the tools can spot real-life problems.
How this fits with other research
Kan et al. (2025) saw the same low scores in Singapore special-ed classes. They add that poor executive skills and high parent stress drive the drop.
Zaguri-Vittenberg et al. (2025) looked at teens with ADHD plus DCD. They also found wider HR-QoL gaps, showing the pattern holds across ages and labels.
Vassos et al. (2023) reviewed adult tools for ID. Only four passed basic checks, reminding us that good child tools like PedsQL are still rare.
Why it matters
You now have two quick, free forms that truly reflect daily life for kids with autism or delay. Use them at intake and every six months to show parents clear numbers. If scores dip, probe executive skills and parent stress, then teach self-management and caregiver coping. The tools take five minutes and need no extra kit.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
There is a need for tools that can provide a brief assessment of functioning for children with neurodevelopmental conditions, including health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). This study evaluated the psychometric properties of three commonly used and well known HR-QoL measures in a cohort of children presenting to clinical developmental assessment services. The most common diagnoses received in these assessment services were autism spectrum disorders. Findings showed good internal consistency for the PedsQL and the CHU-9D, but not the EQ-5D-Y. This research also found that the CHU-9D, EQ-5D-Y, and PedsQL correlated with relevant functioning domains assessed by the VABS-III. Overall, the measures showed that children with neurodevelopmental conditions experienced poor HR-QoL. The majority of children (>86%) met cut-off criteria for significant health concerns on the PedsQL. On the EQ-5D-Y and CHU-9D, they showed reduced HR-QoL particularly on domains relating to school and homework, being able to join in activities, looking after self, and doing usual activities. This study supports the use of the CHU-9D and PedsQL in this population to assess and potentially track HR-QoL in a broad neurodevelopment paediatric population.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2024 · doi:10.1002/aur.3127