The parent-form Child Health Questionnaire in Australia: comparison of reliability, validity, structure, and norms

OBJECTIVE: To improve the ability to describe and compare child health within and between countries, using standardized multidimensional child health measures. METHODS: Data on population-specific psychometrics, the measurement structure, and norms are a vital prerequisite. These properties for the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) were examined for an Australian population and compared with the originating U.S. data. The CHQ 50-item parent-report was completed by 5,414 parents of children aged 5-18 years. Multi-item/multi-trait analysis tested convergent and discriminatory validity. Construct validity, test-retest reliability, comparative population mean scale scores, and the summary score factor structure were examined. RESULTS: Item and scale internal consistency and item discriminant validity results were good to excellent, and construct (concurrent) validity was supported. Australian children had higher scores than U.S. children except for Family Activities and Physical Functioning. The factor structure of the two summary scores for American children was not replicated in the normative sample but held for a subsample of children with one or more health conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The CHQ PF50 performed well in Australia at item and scale level. However, the physical and psychosocial summary scores are not supported for population-level analyses but may be of value for sub-groups of children with health problems.