The validity and reliability of parental ratings of disease activity in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

This study assessed the validity and reliability of parental ratings of morning stiffness, activity limitations, and pain complaints on a sample of 31 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Parental ratings were found to be significant predictors of active joint counts, accounting for 40% of the variance in joint counts. Internal consistency reliability was moderately high (0.819), but test-retest reliability was moderate to low; this is not unexpected given the fluctuations in symptoms of JRA over time. The results suggest that parental ratings are valid and moderately reliable measures of disease activity in JRA. Regular monitoring of symptoms by parents could be a useful source of information for health care providers in making treatment decisions and can increase parental and patient involvement in the treatment process.