Short answer
When developing health assessment tools for young children, prioritize clear, example-driven language for proxy respondents and ensure the instrument covers key developmental areas such as sleep and emotional well-being, as identified by domain experts.
- Field
- Human Factors
- Source
- Quality of Life Research (2026)
- Method
- Qualitative Research (Thematic Analysis of Focus Groups)
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Expert review of the EQ-TIPS instrument indicates that while its core dimensions are appropriate for assessing toddler health-related quality of life, incorporating sleep and emotional well-being, and providing concrete examples for proxy respondents, would significantly enhance its validity and usability. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2026 study published in Quality of Life Research. Using Qualitative research (thematic analysis of focus groups), researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When developing health assessment tools for young children, prioritize clear, example-driven language for proxy respondents and ensure the instrument covers key developmental areas such as sleep and emotional well-being, as identified by domain experts.
Expert consensus suggests EQ-TIPS dimensions adequately capture toddler HRQoL, with sleep and emotions as key additions.
Expert review of the EQ-TIPS instrument indicates that while its core dimensions are appropriate for assessing toddler health-related quality of life, incorporating sleep and emotional well-being, and providing concrete examples for proxy respondents, would significantly enhance its validity and usability.
Quality of Life Research · 2026
Key Findings
- 01EQ-TIPS V2.0 is considered useful for health research and decision-making due to a lack of preference-weighted measures for this age group.
- 02The six EQ-TIPS dimensions in V2.0 were generally seen as adequate, but sleep and emotions were identified as potentially missing key dimensions.
- 03Providing dimension examples instead of referring to 'age-appropriate behaviour' could improve proxy comprehension.
- 04Future iterations should focus on dimensions relevant to the child's HRQoL, not the proxy respondent's experience.
- 05Inclusion of diverse caregivers in future testing is recommended.
Application
Design takeaway
When developing health assessment tools for young children, prioritize clear, example-driven language for proxy respondents and ensure the instrument covers key developmental areas such as sleep and emotional well-being, as identified by domain experts.
How to apply
When designing questionnaires or assessment tools for vulnerable populations where proxy reporting is necessary, conduct thorough expert reviews to validate content and identify potential areas for improved clarity and comprehensiveness. Consider pilot testing with a diverse range of proxy respondents.
Project actions
- 01When designing a product for a specific user group, consider who will be providing information about them (e.g., parents, caregivers) and how to make that process as easy and accurate as possible.
- 02Think about what aspects of well-being are most important for the age group you are designing for, and ensure your design or assessment covers these.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Involved multiple expert groups, providing diverse perspectives.
- +Utilized a qualitative approach to explore nuanced opinions and challenges.
Limitations
Expert opinions might not perfectly reflect the experiences of the actual target population. The focus group format might also lead to groupthink.
Reliability & validity
Thematic analysis of qualitative data is subject to interpretation, impacting inter-rater reliability. Content validity was assessed through expert consensus, which is a recognized method for establishing face and content validity.
Think critically
To what extent might the 'expert' perspective differ from the lived experience of the actual end-users, and how can designers bridge this gap effectively?
Design Principles
"For proxy-reported measures, clarity through concrete examples and comprehensive domain coverage are essential for accurate and valid data collection."
Designing effective health assessment tools requires deep understanding of the target population's lived experiences and the perspectives of those who can accurately report on them. This research highlights the importance of expert validation in ensuring instruments are comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and practically applicable in diverse healthcare and research settings.
What This Means for Your Design
Experts think a new health questionnaire for babies and toddlers is good, but it should include questions about sleep and feelings, and use simpler examples for parents to understand.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of user/expert validation in your design process, particularly when developing tools for specific demographics or sensitive topics.
- 2.Use the findings on clarity and domain coverage to justify design choices in your own project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Expert consultation, as demonstrated by Verstraete et al. (2026) in their development of the EQ-TIPS instrument, is crucial for establishing content validity and addressing conceptual challenges. Their findings highlight the need for clear, example-driven language for proxy respondents and the inclusion of key HRQoL dimensions such as sleep and emotional well-being, underscoring the iterative nature of robust design practice.
Source
Quality of Life Research
Developing the EuroQol toddler and infant populations (EQ-TIPS) instrument: qualitative analysis of expert views on content validity and conceptual challenges
journal · 2026
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about expert consensus suggests eq-tips dimensions adequately capture toddler hrqol, with sleep and emotions as key additions?
- When developing health assessment tools for young children, prioritize clear, example-driven language for proxy respondents and ensure the instrument covers key developmental areas such as sleep and emotional well-being, as identified by domain experts. Evidence: Quality of Life Research (2026).
- Why does "Expert consensus suggests EQ-TIPS dimensions adequately capture toddler HRQoL, with sleep and emotions as key additions." matter for design?
- Designing effective health assessment tools requires deep understanding of the target population's lived experiences and the perspectives of those who can accurately report on them. This research highlights the importance of expert validation in ensuring instruments are comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and practically applicable in diverse healthcare and research settings.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When developing health assessment tools for young children, prioritize clear, example-driven language for proxy respondents and ensure the instrument covers key developmental areas such as sleep and emotional well-being, as identified by domain experts.
- What were the main findings?
- EQ-TIPS V2.0 is considered useful for health research and decision-making due to a lack of preference-weighted measures for this age group.. The six EQ-TIPS dimensions in V2.0 were generally seen as adequate, but sleep and emotions were identified as potentially missing key dimensions.. Providing dimension examples instead of referring to 'age-appropriate behaviour' could improve proxy comprehension.. Future iterations should focus on dimensions relevant to the child's HRQoL, not the proxy respondent's experience.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative Research (Thematic Analysis of Focus Groups).
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2026 journal from Quality of Life Research.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing questionnaires or assessment tools for vulnerable populations where proxy reporting is necessary, conduct thorough expert reviews to validate content and identify potential areas for improved clarity and comprehensiveness. Consider pilot testing with a diverse range of proxy respondents.
- What are the limitations?
- The study relied on expert opinion, and direct testing with the target population (toddlers and infants) and their caregivers was not part of this qualitative phase. The specific composition of the expert groups may influence the findings.