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Examining the psychometric characteristics of the Dutch childhood health assessment questionnaire: room for improvement?

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric characteristics of the childhood health assessment questionnaire-disability index (CHAQ-DI). Seventy-six patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), age range 4.8–15.8 years, completed a CHAQ questionnaire one or more times. In total, 321 CHAQ questionnaires were available for analysis. Factor analysis and correlation were used to analyse the data. The analysis indicated that 12 items could be removed from the original 30 items of the CHAQ-DI. Also the addition of “aids and assistance” to the overall scoring method of the CHAQ-DI did not contribute to the overall measuring concept of the CHAQ-DI. The psychometric characteristics of the CHAQ-DI could be improved by removing 12 items from the original 30 items. Moreover, a simple scoring method, without the addition of aids and assistance to the total CHAQ-DI improves sensitivity to change of the CHAQ-DI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Physical Therapy & Exercise Physiology, Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room KB2.056.0, PO Box 85090, 3508, AB Utrecht, The Netherlands

    T. Takken, P. J. M. Helders & J. van der Net

  2. Department of Methods and Statistics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    F. van den Eijkhof & H. Hoijtink

Authors
  1. T. Takken
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  2. F. van den Eijkhof
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  3. H. Hoijtink
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  4. P. J. M. Helders
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  5. J. van der Net
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Correspondence to T. Takken.

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Takken, T., van den Eijkhof, F., Hoijtink, H. et al. Examining the psychometric characteristics of the Dutch childhood health assessment questionnaire: room for improvement?. Rheumatol Int 26, 979–983 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-006-0108-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-006-0108-5

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