An examination of the health-related quality of life and functional skills as reported by the parents of young children with developmental delays

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the ability to perform meaningful functional occupations and the quality of life (QOL) of young children with developmental delays as reported by their parents. Twenty-nine parents of children with developmental delay aged five to seven living in the United States were recruited. The Generic Core Scale of the Pediatric of Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the functional skill scale of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) were used to measure the children's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and functional skills. Moderate to high Pearson Correlation Coefficients between the two scales were found (r = .53–.75, α = .01). An open-ended questionnaire was used to sample the children's important life concerns and life satisfaction. The questionnaire results were in agreement with items from PedsQL. However, PedsQL did not capture many important concerns identified by the parents of children with autism spectrum disorder, such as issues related to sensory problems, self-regulation, and communication skills. The results can improve the practitioners' understanding of children's quality of life for developing an occupational centered QOL measurement for developmental delayed children.