Evaluating the Child Health Assessment Questionnaire for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Author Information
Author(s): Morales Nívea MO, Funayama Carolina AR, Rangel Viviane O, Frontarolli Ana Cláudia, Araújo Renata RH, Pinto Rogério MC, Rezende Carlos HA, Silva Carlos HM
Primary Institution: Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente (AACD)
Hypothesis
The study aims to verify the psychometric properties of the Child Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) applied to children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.
Conclusion
The CHAQ is reliable and valid for evaluating children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, but further studies are needed to address the ceiling effect.
Supporting Evidence
- The CHAQ showed a strong correlation with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) at 0.77.
- The ceiling effect was significant in all domains, particularly high in patients with quadriplegia.
- The Cronbach alpha coefficient for CHAQ ranged from 0.85 to 0.95, indicating high reliability.
- Patients with cerebral palsy had higher disability index scores compared to healthy controls (mean: 2.16 vs. 0.12).
- The study included a control group of 314 healthy children for validation purposes.
Takeaway
The CHAQ helps understand how children with cerebral palsy manage daily activities, but it might not work well for those with severe limitations.
Methodology
Parents or guardians of children with cerebral palsy aged 5 to 18 completed the CHAQ, and a healthy control group was also assessed.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to test the sensitivity and responsiveness of the instrument over time.
Participant Demographics
{"mean_age":9.3,"gender_distribution":{"male":54,"female":42},"ethnicity":{"caucasian":70.9,"african_brazilian":29.1},"cp_classification":{"spastic":84.4,"extrapyramidal":11.5,"ataxic":4.1}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website