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Aim: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the PEDI in Hebrew (PEDI-H) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) using health care professionals' (HCP) and mothers' evaluations., Methods: The sample comprised 73 participants (40 males, 33 females) with CP. Two modes of PEDI-H administration were used: interview of the mothers by a social worker and HCP evaluation. PEDI-H reliability was examined by two modes: 1) internal consistency via Cronbach's alpha and 2) overall absolute agreement within subject reliability via intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Discriminative validity using collapsed strata of the Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS) (area under the curve=AUC) were examined for each of the PEDI-H sub-domains., Results: Participants' mean age was 8 years 8 months (standard deviation (SD) 2 years 10 months). The reliability of mothers' PEDI-H was good-to-excellent (Cronbach's alpha=0.889-0.964, ICC=0.845-0.938). The HCPs' reliability was excellent (Cronbach's alpha and ICCs > 0.90). The PEDI-H was also reliable in children with mild, moderate, and severe CP (GMFCS=I+II, III and IV+V, respectively), in younger (6-7 years) and older children (8-12 years), and in children with various CP distribution. Mothers and HCPs had low accuracy in Social-Function domains (AUC=0.538-0.686) and moderate-to-high accuracy in Mobility and Self-Care domains (AUC=0.887-0.967). PEDI-H was able to distinguish between children with various CP severities., Conclusion: The PEDI-H has good psychometric properties when administered by mothers and HCPs and can be used in older children with CP.

Background: Youth with somatic symptom disorder (SSD) present unique behavioral characteristics. Aims: To develop and examine the psychometric properties of an observational measure of behavioral characteristics for youth with SSD (the Somatization Behavioral Characteristics Questionnaire, SBCQ). Methods: N = 80 youth with SSD and 31 with non-SSD impairments participated in this study (age = 13.91 ± 2.72, 14 ± 3.21, respectively; females: n = 61, 14, respectively). Symptom intensity (Children's Somatization Inventory-24; CSI-24), functional disability (Six-Minute Walk Test, walking rate of perceived exertion), and the SBCQ were assessed. SBCQ reliability and validity were examined. Results: SBCQ had acceptable reliability in both groups (Cronbach's α > 0.7). Exploratory factor analysis in the SSD group revealed a three-cluster solution. Significant associations were found between the SBCQ, CSI-24, and functional disability. Both groups differed in the prevalence of all SBCQ behaviors. The greatest differences were in the mismatch between etiology and clinical presentation, and in the exhibited lack of trust in the therapist and "la belle indifference". Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the SBCQ has moderate accuracy in discriminating between the two groups (area under the curve = 0.80). Sensitivity and specificity were 82.5% and 73.3%, respectively. Conclusions: The SBCQ is psychometrically sound. Findings may aid in developing sensitive assessment tools for SSD and continuing education for therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]