The PedsQL Generic Core Scales are easy to score. The items of the four Scales (Physical Functioning, Emotional Functioning, Social Functioning, and School Functioning) are grouped together on the actual questionnaire, so it is easy to create Scale Scores.

1. On the PedsQL Generic Core Scales, for ease of interpretability, items are reversed scored and linearly transformed to a 0-100 scale, so that higher scores indicate better HRQOL (Health-Related Quality of Life).

2. To reverse score, transform the 0-4 scale items to 0-100 as follows: 0=100, 1=75, 2=50, 3=25, 4=0.

3. To create Scale Scores, the mean is computed as the sum of the items over the number of items answered (this accounts for missing data). If more than 50% of the items in the scale are missing, the Scale Score should not be computed. Imputing the mean of the completed items in a scale when 50% or more are completed is generally the most unbiased and precise method. To do this, count the number of missing values in the scale (call it nmiss). Next, sum the item scores and divide by the number of items in the scale minus nmiss. Alternatively, use the Compute command in SPSS to compute the MEAN.

4. To create the Psychosocial Health Summary Score, the mean is computed as the sum of the items over the number of items answered in the Emotional, Social, and School Functioning Scales. The Physical Health Summary Score is the same as the Physical Functioning Scale Score.

5. To create the Total Scale Score, the mean is computed as the sum of all the items over the number of items answered on all the Scales.

Response Choices	Never	Almost Never	Some- times	Often	Almost Always
Raw Scores	0	1	2	3	4
0-100 Scale Scores	100	75	50	25	0

Scoring Instructions for all PedsQL™ Instruments

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Copyright © 1998- James W. Varni, Ph.D. All rights reserved.