Abstract:

Objective To assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of pediatric vestibular symptom questionnaire (C-PVSQ) and to establish a quantitative tool for the assessment of vestibular related dizziness or vertigo symptoms in children. Methods The PVSQ was translated into Chinese using the cross-cultural translation method. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions, each of which was scored according to the symptoms of the children, with a total score of 30 points. A total of 85 children aged 6-17 years old with dizziness, vertigo or balance disorder who visited the clinic of Hearing Impairment and vertigo Diagnosis and Treatment Center from November 2023 to June 2024 were selected as the study objects. The reliability and validity of C-PVSQ were evaluated. Results The test-retest reliability coefficient of the total score of C-PVSQ was 0.97>0.70 (P<0.01); Cronbach α coefficient of internal consistency test was 0.83. By exploratory factor analysis, the KMO value was 0.801, and Bartlett sphericity test showed P<0.001. Factors with feature root value >1 were extracted, and three common factors were obtained, namely "dizziness factor" (questions 1 and 4), "balance factor" (questions 2, 8 and 9), and "vertigo-related symptoms" (questions 3, 6, 7 and 10), with a total cumulative contribution rate of 66.1%. Conclusions The C-PVSQ exhibits strong reliability and validity and can effectively assess symptoms and severity related to dizziness, vertigo, or balance disorders in children.

Key words: vertigo, Chinese version, pediatric vestibular symptom questionnaire, reliability, validity