Assessment of validity of PEDI-CAT for children with cerebral palsy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the validity of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT) for children with cerebral palsy who have severe and complex disability through comparison of changes perceived by parents in their children’s everyday activities and PEDI-CAT items.
IRAS ID
147256
Contact name
Virginia Knox
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Brighton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
Cerebral palsy describes a group of disorders arising from non-progressive damage to the developing infant brain affecting movement and posture, and may cause visual, hearing, learning or other difficulties. Children can be classified into mobility levels according to their independent mobility on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Level IV and V children move by rolling or walking very short distances with a frame indoors and may either use a self-propelling or powered wheelchair. Less research has taken place into the efficacy of therapy within this group. One requirement for future research is having relevant sensitive outcome measures to detect change. Physiotherapists and occupational therapists anecdotally report that existing measures do not appear to be sufficiently sensitive to detect change in this population and are not able to detect subtle changes that parents find relevant. This study will investigate by online survey whether paediatric therapists do perceive any difficulty finding relevant outcome measures for this group of children. One tool recommended for this population is the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory – Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT) which covers daily activities, mobility and social function. Parents will do the PEDI-CAT after their child has received intensive therapy and then complete the QQ-10, a questionnaire to assess their feelings about the relevance of the PEDI-CAT to their child and themselves. Parents will also record any changes in everyday activities that occur in their child in free text. Parent changes will be grouped into themes and a mapping exercise will be undertaken to see what percentage correspond with items in the PEDI-CAT. Any changes that fall outside the remit of the tests will be reported and described.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/2009
Date of REC Opinion
19 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion