DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUMENT TO ASSESS STRESS LEVELS AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a new instrument , About My Asthma (AMA), to assess stressors affecting quality of life in children with asthma. The AMA is a 55-item, 4-point Likert-type sc ale. Concurrent validity was established by comparing the AMA with the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ). Increased lev els of stress measured by the AMA correlated with a decreased quality of life measured by the PAQLQ. We conclude that the AMA is a valid and reliable instrument to measure the quantity and type of stressors exp erienced by children who have asthma.