Ks. Budd et al., THE CHILDRENS HEADACHE ASSESSMENT SCALE (CHAS) - FACTOR STRUCTURE ANDPSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES, Journal of behavioral medicine, 17(2), 1994, pp. 159-179
This study investigated the content validity, factor structure, and ps
ychometric properties of the Children's Headache Assessment Scale (CHA
S), a parent rating scale for identifying environmental variables asso
ciated with pediatric headache. In Study 1, input from physicians and
psychologists was obtained to develop a revised set of 44 items receiv
ing high endorsement. In Study 2, the questionnaire was administered t
o parents of 92 child headache sufferers, ages 6-16, and readministere
d 2 weeks later. An exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors
(Disruptive Impact, Social Consequences, Stress Antecedents, Physical
Antecedents and Quiet Coping, and Prescription Medication Use) that re
flect distinct environmental concomitants of childhood headache. Scale
reliabilities (alpha, .64-.82) indicate acceptable internal consisten
cy, and test-retest reliabilities indicate relatively stable factors a
nd items. High scores on the Disruptive Impact factor were associated
with more severe, lengthy, and infrequent headache occurrence, lending
initial support for the validity of this factor. Overall, the finding
s support the clinical and research utility of the CHAS in behavioral
treatment of childhood headache.