Analysis of PEDI Normative Data Between Spain and the United States.

Purpose: To analyze the applicability of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) to the Spanish population, and to assess the influence of demographic variables on the functional performance of the child.

Method: The Spanish version of the PEDI was administered via interview representing a sample of 199 children without disability. The applicability of the PEDI was analyzed with the Welch t test and differences between the variables were analyzed using single-factor analysis of variance.

Results: Significant differences in overall and domain-specific performance were found between Spanish and American samples. The Spanish sample's average score was lower than the American sample. Differences in performance within the Spanish sample were found by age, sex, and rural/urban living environment.

Conclusions: The normative values of the PEDI should be applied with caution in the Spanish population until further data are available; however, the PEDI remains a useful instrument for monitoring functional change.