FOUNDATIONS, METHODS AND APPLICATIONS OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE RESEARCH IN CHILDREN

Contrary to adults, health-related quality of life of children was onl y recently discovered as endpoint in pediatric research. On the basis of a theoretical and methodological introduction into quality of life research, the results of a recent literature search on the topic of qu ality of life and children as related to assessment instruments and th eir application in pediatric research are described. It is apparent th at papers related to quality of life research of children only pertain to 13% of the papers related to adults. Also the majority of the few available assessment instruments from the angloamerican literature and their application in studies is very rare. The need for increased res earch in the area of children's quality of life is voiced.