Development and assessment of EPInfant: a rating scale of perceived exertion for the pediatric population

Rating scales of perceived exertion (PE) have been used to measure PE during exercise in the adult population with successful results. However, in children, it is necessary to develop adapted instruments due to their cognitive immaturity. The number of Spanish-language validated instruments for the pediatric population is scarce. Our objective was to develop a new PE rating scale. Research design was divided into three stages: development, content validity, and criterion validity. For development, a panel of five expert members was summoned, who provided indications for the new instrument. A systematic review of the literature to identify other validated instruments was performed. This process resulted in the development of the new EPInfant scale to measure PE, which integrates the expert panel's indications and the result of the literature systematic review. The evaluation of its content showed a high level of agreement regarding the quality of its design; the content validity index was 1. During the field assessment, a high concurrent criterion validity was observed in healthy adolescents due to the strong correlation shown between PE and heart rate in both boys and girls. The methodology used to develop the EPInfant scale aimed at reducing potential biases that may hinder its psychometric properties. Preliminary results suggest that this may be a validated instrument that could be implemented in healthy adolescents.