Validation and reliability of the Italian versions of the Food Allergy Quality of Life -Parental Burden (FAQL-PB) and -Parent Form 10 (FAQLQ-PF10) Questionnaires.

Abstract

Background: Food allergy (FA) may substantially impair quality of life (QoL) in affected children and their families. Reliable and culturally adapted tools are needed to assess this burden. We aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Italian versions of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire Parent Form 10 (FAQLQ-PF10) and the Food Allergy Quality of Life Parental Burden Questionnaire (FAQL-PB).

Methods: Following World Health Organization recommendations, the questionnaires underwent forward-backward translation and psychometric validation. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were assessed in caregivers of children with FA (n = 128) and without FA (n = 52).

Results: Both questionnaires showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.87 for FAQLQ-PF10 and 0.95 for FAQL-PB) and excellent test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients 0.95 and 0.87, respectively). Moderate correlations with the Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM) supported convergent validity, whereas weak correlations with generic QoL and psychological distress measures confirmed disease specificity. FAQLQ-PF10 and FAQL-PB scores were significantly higher in the FA group than in controls (all p < .0001), supporting discriminant validity. Key clinical predictors of worse QoL included history of anaphylaxis, allergic comorbidities, and previous emergency department visits for FA. Parents of children with milk or egg allergy were a high-risk subgroup for impaired QoL, whereas increasing child age, longer elimination diet duration, and multiple affected siblings were associated with worse child QoL.

Conclusions: The Italian versions of the FAQLQ-PF10 and FAQL-PB are valid, reliable, and disease-specific instruments for assessing FA-related QoL. Their use may facilitate routine QoL assessment and support patient-centered management of pediatric FA.