Development and Preliminary Validation of the Child Activity Limitations Questionnaire: Flexible and Efficient Assessment of Pain-Related Functional Disability

The Child Activity Limitations Interview (CALI) was designed to assess functional impairment secondary to chronic and recurrent pain in school-aged children and adolescents. The availability of a written version offers several benefits to the instrument as a clinical measure. The purpose of the current study was to develop and provide initial validation data for a paper-and-pencil version, the Child Activity Limitations Questionnaire (CALQ). Participants included 60 children and adolescents (8–18 years; M 14.0, SD 2.7) presenting to a multidisciplinary pain clinic and their parents (N = 62; 82.7% mothers). Measures included child reports of recent pain, and child and parent reports on the Functional Disability Inventory, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17. CALQ and CALI scores were similarly related to all validation measures. Both instruments demonstrated reliability, construct validity, and discriminant validity. The CALQ showed strong internal consistency (child report: α = .91; parent report: α = 0.91) and moderate parent-child consistency (r = .65). Construct validity was demonstrated by significant relationships between CALQ scores and all measures of pain, and physical and psychosocial functioning, including quality of life. These preliminary data suggest that the CALQ is a reliable and valid alternative version of the CALI.PerspectiveThis study demonstrates the reliability and validity of a written version of an interview tool designed to measure functional disability in pediatric chronic pain patients. The data suggest that the benefits of the CALI may be realized with this new paper-and-pencil version.