Validity of web‐based self‐assessment of pubertal development against pediatrician assessments

Importance: A web-based instrument for self-assessment of puberty could be convenient and feasible for large-scale multicenter population-based epidemiological studies for Tanner stages evaluation. Objective: To validate web-based self-assessment of pubertal development against assessment by a pediatrician. Methods: Outpatients aged 8–18 years were consecutively recruited in the endocrinology department of Beijing Children’s Hospital from October 2016 to August 2017. A web-based self-assessment instrument for pubertal development was introduced to participants by an appointed pediatrician. Tanner stage of puberty was self-assessed by participants in a private environment. Participants were then examined by a senior pediatrician underwent blinded assessment. Weighted kappa and Spearman correlation analyses were conducted to evaluate agreement. The accuracy of the web-based instrument for self-assessment of pubertal onset was evaluated according to sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. Results: A total of 174 participants (including 82 girls and 92 boys) were assessed consecutively. Correlation coefficients were 0.872 for pubic hair and 0.933 for testicular volume (P