The systematic review revealed widespread utilization of developmentally appropriate QL instruments but less frequent use of both self and proxy reports and an inconsistent approach to age group specificities .
Research on the quality of life ( QL ) of children/adolescents with psychological disorders has flourished over the last few decades .
Given the developmental challenges of QL measurements in pediatric population s , the aim of this study was to ascertain the extent to which a developmental approach to  QL assessment has been applied to pedopsychiatric QL research .
Atomoxetine treatment in children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: what are the long-term health-related quality-of-life outcomes?
OBJECTIVE Numerous investigations have examined the efficacy of pharmacological treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) in children . However , relatively few studies have addressed the impact of treatment on long-term subjective , psychosocial outcomes , such as health-related quality of life ( HRQL ) . This study examines the long-term effects of pharmacological treatment with atomoxetine on HRQL in children and adolescents with ADHD . METHODS Participants included 6- to 17-year-old children and adolescents ( n = 912 ) with ADHD enrolled in a 24-month , multicenter , open-label trial of atomoxetine . Outcomes included clinician ratings of ADHD , parent ratings of ADHD , and a widely used measure of HRQL ( The Child Health Question naire ( CHQ ) ) . Treatment response rates were calculated based on a CHQ improvement of at least 1 st and ard error of measurement . RESULTS Significant improvements in HRQL were found following both acute and long-term treatment for psychosocial but not physical health . Of participants who completed treatment ( n = 312 or 34.2 % of those enrolled ) , 81 % responded to acute treatment and 78 % responded to long-term treatment . Improvements noted after acute treatment were maintained during long-term treatment with the majority of participants ( 86 % ) continuing to respond to treatment . CONCLUSIONS Atomoxetine is associated with improvements in HRQL , and the improvements are generally stable over time
The systematic review revealed widespread utilization of developmentally appropriate QL instruments but less frequent use of both self and proxy reports and an inconsistent approach to age group specificities .
Research on the quality of life ( QL ) of children/adolescents with psychological disorders has flourished over the last few decades .
Given the developmental challenges of QL measurements in pediatric population s , the aim of this study was to ascertain the extent to which a developmental approach to  QL assessment has been applied to pedopsychiatric QL research .