Development and preliminary validation of the challenges of living with cystic fibrosis (CLCF) questionnaire: a 46-item measure of treatment burden for parent/carers of children with CF.
Psychol Health 2023;
38:1309-1344. [PMID:
35259034 DOI:
10.1080/08870446.2021.2013483]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Treatments for cystic fibrosis (CF) are complex, labour-intensive, and perceived as highly burdensome by caregivers of children with CF. An instrument assessing burden of care is needed.
DESIGN
A stepwise, qualitative design was used to create the CLCF with caregiver focus groups, participant researchers, a multidisciplinary professional panel, and cognitive interviews.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Preliminary psychometric analyses evaluated the reliability and convergent validity of the CLCF scores. Cronbach's alpha assessed internal consistency and t-tests examined test-retest reliability. Correlations measured convergence between the Treatment Burden scale of the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) and the CLCF. Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing CLCF scores in one vs two-parent families, across ages, and in children with vs without Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA).
RESULTS
Six Challenge subscales emerged from the qualitative data and the professional panel constructed a scoresheet estimating the Time and Effort required for treatments. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were adequate. Good convergence was found between the Total Challenge score and Treatment Burden on the CFQ-R (r=-0.49, p = 0.02, n = 31). A recent PA infection signalled higher Total Challenge for caregivers (F(23)11.72, p = 0.002).
CONCLUSIONS
The CLCF, developed in partnership with parents/caregivers and CF professionals, is a timely, disease-specific burden measure for clinical research.
Collapse