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. 2023 Jan;60(1):174-184.
doi: 10.1080/02770903.2022.2036755. Epub 2022 Feb 14.

Psychometric properties and predictive validity of the PP-ACT

James A Shepperd  1 , Gregory D Webster  1 , Gabrielle C Pogge  1 , David Fedele  2 , Sreekala Prabhakaran  2 , Jean Hunleth  1 , Erika A Waters  3
Affiliations

Psychometric properties and predictive validity of the PP-ACT

James A Shepperd et al. J Asthma. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: The Parent Proxy Asthma Control Test (PP-ACT) is a self-report measure of asthma control completed by caregivers on behalf of a child. We examined the psychometric properties and the reliability and predictive validity of the PP-ACT.

Methods: We conducted two studies (one cross-sectional, one longitudinal over three months) that surveyed caregivers (N = 1622) of children with asthma. Caregivers completed the PP-ACT and a variety of other measures, including child health outcomes.

Results: We found clear evidence that the five-item PP-ACT assesses two distinct constructs: Items 1-4 (which we call the PP-ACT4) assess symptoms, impairment, and use of a short acting beta-2 blocker (albuterol); Item 5 assesses caregivers' global subjective assessment of their child's asthma control. In addition, the two constructs function as unique predictors of asthma outcomes. Both the PP-ACT4 and Item 5 predicted unique variance in ED visits, the number of symptom-free days, and child quality of life. Only the PP-ACT4 predicted frequency of ICS use and only at Time 1 in Study 1. Conversely, Item 5 predicted exacerbation frequency whereas the PP-ACT4 did not.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that researchers and clinicians should treat the PP-ACT4 and Item 5 as distinct indicators of asthma control because they differentially predict asthma outcomes and likely have distinct meanings to caregivers.

Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02770903.2022.2036755 .

Keywords: Pediatric asthma; asthma control test; caregivers; reliability; validity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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