Reliability and validity of the KIDSCREEN-52 health-related quality of life questionnaire in a Greek adolescent population

Questionnaires were collected from a representative nationwide sample of 1,194 adolescents aged from 11 to 17 years. Internal consistency reliability was determined by calculation of the Cronbach α coefficient. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted in order to test the construct validity of the questionnaire. Validity was further examined by investigating the correlation of KIDSCREEN with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and its association with socioeconomic and health-related factors.Internal consistency reliability was accepted with a Cronbach α above 0.73 for all KIDSCREEN dimensions. CFA showed that the ten-dimensional model fitted the data well (root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.048, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.971 and goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.965). Correlation coefficients between KIDSCREEN and SDQ dimensions were significant. Adolescents of low socioeconomic status reported lower scores in the majority of KIDSCREEN dimensions. Also, adolescents with chronic health problem had poorer quality of life concerning physical well-being and other dimensions of KIDSCREEN.The Greek version of KIDSCREEN-52 was found to have satisfied psychometric properties and could be suitable for assessing HRQoL in Greek adolescents.Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is conceptualized as a multidimensional and comprehensive model of health with several domains. This flows from the definition of health put forward by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a state of complete physical, emotional and social well-being, associated with the individual's perception of their position in life and not the absence of illness [1]. The assessment of HRQoL plays an important role in the assessment of adult health, as indicated by the development of many generic measurement instruments in recent years [2]. The measurement of HRQoL in children and adolescents has received increasing attention in pediatrics and adolescent care and seve