Developing and validating a life skills questionnaire for Iranian children: A case study of seven-year-olds

Introduction: Assessing life skills in children is a preventive approach to promoting their mental health and quality of life. Regarding the lack of appropriate tools, this study aimed to develop and validate a children’s Life Skills Questionnaire (LSQ).  Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study in the academic year of 2022-2023, the target population included all seven-year-old children in Kerman City, Iran. Initially, the preliminary questions of the questionnaire were prepared through interviews. Then, using a cluster sampling method, 1140 seven-year-old children from different schools in Kerman were selected. We determined the validity of the questionnaire using face validity, content validity, and construct validity methods. Also, we determined the reliability of the questionnaire using internal consistency and test-retest methods. We identified the optimal cut-off point aiding Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the Youden Index.  Results: The LSQ for children had acceptable face and content validity, qualitatively and quantitatively, although some questions needed revision. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the questionnaire comprised 29 questions and six factors. Confirmatory factor analysis also confirmed the six-factor model. Cronbach’s alpha for the scale was 0.86, and its dimensions ranged from 0.71 to 0.92. The cut-off point 100 with a Youden Index of 82.10% has the highest accuracy.  Conclusion: Based on the findings, the life skills questionnaire can assess the life skills of seven-year-old children.