Assessing health-related quality of life in children with recurrent headache:: Reliability and validity of the PedsQL™ 4.0 in a pediatric headache sample

Objective To evaluate the reliability and validity of a commonly used measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL (TM) 4.0), in a sample of children with a recurrent headache syndrome. Methods Participants were 40 children aged 7-12 who completed measures of HRQOL, headache-related disability, and headache activity during a baseline period and following a self-directed cognitive-behavioral intervention. Results The data are supportive of the reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (criterion related, convergent, known-groups, and responsiveness to intervention) of the PedsQL (TM) 4.0 within a pediatric headache sample. Conclusions We conclude that the PedsQL (TM) 4.0 is a reliable and valid measure of HRQOL in children with recurrent headache and captures important information not routinely evaluated in chronic pain populations.