Brain Development: Evidence of Gender Differences

Getting ready for transition to adult care: Tool validation and multi-informant strategy using the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire in pediatrics

BACKGROUND

Transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare can be challenging and lead to severe consequences if done suboptimally. The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) was developed to assess adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients' transition readiness. In this study, we aimed to (1) document the psychometric properties of the French-language version of the TRAQ (TRAQ-FR), (2) assess agreements and discrepancies between AYA patients' and their primary caregivers' TRAQ-FR scores, and (3) identify transition readiness contributors.

METHODS

French-speaking AYA patients (n = 175) and primary caregivers (n = 168) were recruited from five clinics in a tertiary Canadian hospital and asked to complete the TRAQ-FR, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0), and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The validity of the TRAQ-FR was assessed using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Agreements and discrepancies were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients and paired-sample t tests. Contributors of transition readiness were identified using regression analyses.

RESULTS

The five-factor model of the TRAQ was supported, with the TRAQ-FR global scale showing good internal consistency for both AYA patients' and primary caregivers' scores (α = .85-.87). AYA patients and primary caregivers showed good absolute agreement on the TRAQ-FR global scale with AYA patients scoring higher than primary caregivers (ICC = .80; d = .25). AYA patients' age and sex were found to be contributors of transition readiness.

CONCLUSIONS

The TRAQ-FR was found to have good psychometric properties when completed by both AYA patients and primary caregivers. Additional research is needed to explore the predictive validity and clinical use of the TRAQ-FR.

Object exploration in 3- to 7-year-old children

The aim of the present study was to analyze free exploration of an unfamiliar, novel object in a semi-natural environment in 189 preschool children aged 3 to 7 years. The study used a purpose-built, novel, and complex stimulus object. Each child was shown the complex object lying on the floor and asked to explore it for 15 minutes. The child's behavior was video recorded. Age-dependent differences were found in the children's exploratory activity. No sex differences were found. Cluster analysis showed four main behavioral patterns that differed in their qualitative and quantitative parameters. Cluster membership was mainly age-dependent and not sex-specific. The results showed individual and developmental differences among the preschoolers with respect to their exploratory activity. This should be taken into account by school psychologists and teachers when designing the educational tasks and play situations.