Validation of Child-adapted Short Scales for Measuring Gastrointestinal-specific Avoidance and Anxiety

Overview

Journal Acta Paediatr

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2022 May 12

PMID 35545865

Authors

Maria Lalouni

Ola Olen

Johan Bjureberg

Marianne Bonnert

Trudie Chalder

Erik Hedman-Lagerlof

Silje Endresen Reme

Eva Serlachius

Brjann Ljotsson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: To validate child-adapted shortened versions of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Behavioural Responses Questionnaire (IBS-BRQ; short scale denoted BRQ-C) and the Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI; short scale denoted VSI-C) for children with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs).

Methods: A child psychologist supervised by a child gastroenterologist was responsible for shortening the scales (BRQ-C, 11 items; and VSI-C, 7 items). Then, a sample of 89 children aged 8-12 years with FAPDs was used in the validation. Construct validity was assessed with correlations. Measures included gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, pain intensity and anxiety. Also, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, administration time and factor structure were assessed.

Results: Internal consistency for the BRQ-C and the VSI-C was α = 0.84 and α = 0.80, respectively. Correlations with related scales were similar between child-adapted scales and original scales, indicating construct validity equivalence. Correlations between short scales and original scales were high. Mean administration time was reduced by 47% (BRQ-C) and 42% (VSI-C), compared with original scales. Test-retest reliability was r = 0.72 for BRQ-C and r = 0.83 for VSI-C. BRQ-C had two factors (Avoidance and Bowel control). VSI-C had a unifactorial structure.

Conclusion: The BRQ-C and the VSI-C were found to be time-saving, reliable and valid for children with FAPDs.

Citing Articles

Trajectories of Change, Illness Understanding, and Parental Worries in Children and Adolescents Undergoing Internet-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders: Protocol for a Single-Case Design and Explorative....

Skovslund Nielsen E, Kallesoe K, Gehrt T, Bjerre-Nielsen E, Lalouni M, Frostholm L JMIR Res Protoc. 2025; 14():e58563.

PMID: 39773759 PMC: 11751652. DOI: 10.2196/58563.

Validation of child-adapted short scales for measuring gastrointestinal-specific avoidance and anxiety.

Lalouni M, Olen O, Bjureberg J, Bonnert M, Chalder T, Hedman-Lagerlof E Acta Paediatr. 2022; 111(8):1621-1627.

PMID: 35545865 PMC: 9545055. DOI: 10.1111/apa.16403.

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