Fatigue in children: reliability and validity of the Dutch PedsQL(TM) Multidimensional Fatigue Scale

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to report on the feasibility, reliability, validity, and the norm-references of the Dutch version of the PedsQL(TM) Multidimensional Fatigue Scale. METHODS: The study participants are four hundred and ninety-seven parents of children aged 2–18 years and 366 children aged 5–18 years from various day care facilities, elementary schools, and a high school who completed the Dutch version of the PedsQL(TM) Multidimensional Fatigue Scale. RESULTS: The number of missing items was minimal. All scales showed satisfactory internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach’s coefficient alpha exceeding 0.70. Test–retest reliability was good to excellent (ICCs 0.68–0.84) and inter-observer reliability varied from moderate to excellent (ICCs 0.56–0.93) for total scores. Parent/child concordance for total scores was poor to good (ICCs 0.25–0.68). The PedsQL(TM) Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was able to distinguish between healthy children and children with an impaired health condition. CONCLUSIONS: The Dutch version of the PedsQL(TM) Multidimensional Fatigue Scale demonstrates an adequate feasibility, reliability, and validity in another sociocultural context. With the obtained norm-references, it can be utilized as a tool in the evaluation of fatigue in healthy and chronically ill children aged 2–18 years.