Social Competence in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors: Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of Assessment Tools

Overview

Journal Support Care Cancer

Specialties Critical Care
Oncology

Date 2013 Nov 28

PMID 24281727

Citations 8

Authors

Fiona Schulte

Maru Barrera

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify and describe the instruments that have been used to measure social competence in pediatric brain tumor patients and to summarize the psychometric properties of the most common instruments used to measure social competence in pediatric brain tumor patients.

Methods: The following psychometric properties were assessed: (a) construct validity; (b) internal consistency reliability; (c) test retest and inter-rater reliability; and (d) responsiveness. Measures were evaluated based on published criteria for psychometric suitability.

Results: Ten studies met inclusion criteria for the current review. Based on review of these studies, the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) yielded the most comprehensive data on psychometric properties. Psychometric properties for the SSRS were considered to be adequate in a pediatric brain tumor population. Specifically, the SSRS meets criteria for construct validity, internal consistency and responsiveness. Other commonly used measures included the CBCL/YSR, the PedsQL4.0 and the Revised Class Play each with sufficient psychometric properties.

Conclusions: The SSRS is an appropriate tool to measure social competence in pediatric brain tumor patients. Data for inter-rater reliability and responsiveness in this population is still lacking.

Citing Articles

Social and Emotional Functioning of Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors and Typically Developing Youth Following the Onset of the Pandemic.

Desjardins L, Hancock K, Lai M, Bartels U, Vorstman J, Barrera M Curr Oncol. 2024; 31(8):4346-4356.

PMID: 39195307 PMC: 11352423. DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31080324.

Protocol for evaluation of the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a targeted transition readiness workshop intervention for pediatric brain tumor survivors.

Bonanno M, Desjardins L, Lugasi T, Carrier J, Labonte N, Sultan S Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2024; 10(1):11.

PMID: 38243344 PMC: 10797753. DOI: 10.1186/s40814-023-01437-5.

Social adjustment across the lifespan in survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): a systematic review.

Cho S, Tromburg C, Forbes C, Tran A, Allapitan E, Fay-McClymont T J Cancer Surviv. 2022; 17(4):1221-1237.

PMID: 34988754 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-021-01140-5.

Are we friends? Best friend nominations in pediatric brain tumor survivors and associated factors.

Desjardins L, Barrera M, Chung J, Cataudella D, Janzen L, Bartels U Support Care Cancer. 2019; 27(11):4237-4244.

PMID: 30847703 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-019-04706-3.

Trajectories of psychosocial and cognitive functioning in pediatric patients with brain tumors treated with radiation therapy.

Willard V, Berlin K, Conklin H, Merchant T Neuro Oncol. 2019; 21(5):678-685.

PMID: 30624746 PMC: 6502488. DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noz010.

References

Beaton D, Bombardier C . Measuring health in injured workers: a cross-sectional comparison of five generic health status instruments in workers with musculoskeletal injuries. Am J Ind Med. 1996; 29(6):618-31. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(199606)29:6<618::AID-AJIM6>3.0.CO;2-F. View

Armstrong F, Toledano S, Miloslavich K, Levy J, Gay C, Schuman W . The Miami pediatric quality of life questionnaire: parent scale. Int J Cancer Suppl. 2000; 12:11-7. DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(1999)83:12+<11::aid-ijc4>3.0.co;2-8. View

Barakat L, Hetzke J, Foley B, Carey M, Gyato K, Phillips P . Evaluation of a social-skills training group intervention with children treated for brain tumors: a pilot study. J Pediatr Psychol. 2003; 28(5):299-307. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsg019. View

Bonner M, Hardy K, Willard V, Anthony K, Hood M, Gururangan S . Social functioning and facial expression recognition in survivors of pediatric brain tumors. J Pediatr Psychol. 2008; 33(10):1142-52. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsn035. View

Schulte F, Barrera M . Social competence in childhood brain tumor survivors: a comprehensive review. Support Care Cancer. 2010; 18(12):1499-513. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-010-0963-1. View

Vannatta K, Gerhardt C, Wells R, Noll R . Intensity of CNS treatment for pediatric cancer: prediction of social outcomes in survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2006; 49(5):716-22. DOI: 10.1002/pbc.21062. View

Van der Oord S, Van der Meulen E, Prins P, Oosterlaan J, Buitelaar J, Emmelkamp P . A psychometric evaluation of the social skills rating system in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2005; 43(6):733-46. DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2004.06.004. View

Upton P, Eiser C . School experiences after treatment for a brain tumour. Child Care Health Dev. 2006; 32(1):9-17. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00569.x. View

Nassau J, Drotar D . Social competence among children with central nervous system-related chronic health conditions: a review. J Pediatr Psychol. 1998; 22(6):771-93. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/22.6.771. View

10.

Mulhern R, Carpentieri S, Shema S, Stone P, Fairclough D . Factors associated with social and behavioral problems among children recently diagnosed with brain tumor. J Pediatr Psychol. 1993; 18(3):339-50. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/18.3.339. View

11.

Noll R, Bukowski W, Rogosch F, Leroy S, Kulkarni R . Social interactions between children with cancer and their peers: teacher ratings. J Pediatr Psychol. 1990; 15(1):43-56. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/15.1.43. View

12.

Guyatt G, Kirshner B, Jaeschke R . Measuring health status: what are the necessary measurement properties?. J Clin Epidemiol. 1992; 45(12):1341-5. DOI: 10.1016/0895-4356(92)90194-r. View

13.

Bergner M, Rothman M . Health status measures: an overview and guide for selection. Annu Rev Public Health. 1987; 8:191-210. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.pu.08.050187.001203. View

14.

Vannatta K, Gartstein M, Short A, Noll R . A controlled study of peer relationships of children surviving brain tumors: teacher, peer, and self ratings. J Pediatr Psychol. 1998; 23(5):279-87. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/23.5.279. View

15.

Crowe L, Beauchamp M, Catroppa C, Anderson V . Social function assessment tools for children and adolescents: a systematic review from 1988 to 2010. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011; 31(5):767-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.03.008. View

16.

Varni J, Seid M, Rode C . The PedsQL: measurement model for the pediatric quality of life inventory. Med Care. 1999; 37(2):126-39. DOI: 10.1097/00005650-199902000-00003. View

17.

Schulte F, Bartels U, Bouffet E, Janzen L, Hamilton J, Barrera M . Body weight, social competence, and cognitive functioning in survivors of childhood brain tumors. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010; 55(3):532-9. DOI: 10.1002/pbc.22543. View

18.

Barrera M, Schulte F . A group social skills intervention program for survivors of childhood brain tumors. J Pediatr Psychol. 2009; 34(10):1108-18. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsp018. View

19.

Realmuto G, August G, Sieler J . Peer assessment of social reputation in community samples of disruptive and nondisruptive children: utility of the revised class play method. J Clin Child Psychol. 1997; 26(1):67-76. DOI: 10.1207/s15374424jccp2601_7. View

20.

Bland J, Altman D . Cronbach's alpha. BMJ. 1997; 314(7080):572. PMC: 2126061. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.314.7080.572. View