Cross-cultural validation of a short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile for temporomandibular disorders

OBJECTIVES: We set out to develop and validate an Italian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile Questionnaire (OHIP) that is appropriate for use in temporomandibular disorders (TMD). METHODS: At first, we had the questionnaire translated from English into Italian by three bilingual individuals whose mother tongue was Italian and thus had three different versions of the questionnaire. These were translated back into English by a native English speaker and the version closest to the original English OHIP was selected. The validation of a questionnaire generally involves the study of the psychometric properties of the instrument: its validity and reliability. Before studying these properties, we assessed the factorial structure of the questionnaire. RESULTS: The number of eigenvalues >1, computed by exploratory factor analysis, was seven. The percentage of cumulative variability explained by a model with six dimensions is 66, whereas that explained by a model with seven dimensions is 70. Therefore, considering that the increment of explained variability due to the seventh dimension is low (3.68%) and that the seventh eigenvalue is very close to 1, we considered a six-factor model capable of explaining the factorial structure of the data. Content analysis suggested eliminating the item 'Felt Self-conscious', as most of the subjects did not understand its meaning. Spearman correlation coefficients showed an association between the scores of all the different subscales and the variable for pain. All the coefficients were significantly different from 0 (P 0.70, showed quite a good reliability for each of the six subscales. CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal a reasonable degree of cross-cultural consistency between the two versions of the OHIP, and thus indicate that our Italian version is valid

Cross-cultural validation of a short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile for temporomandibular disorders.

OBJECTIVES: We set out to develop and validate an Italian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile Questionnaire (OHIP) that is appropriate for use in temporomandibular disorders (TMD). METHODS: At first, we had the questionnaire translated from English into Italian by three bilingual individuals whose mother tongue was Italian and thus had three different versions of the questionnaire. These were translated back into English by a native English speaker and the version closest to the original English OHIP was selected. The validation of a questionnaire generally involves the study of the psychometric properties of the instrument: its validity and reliability. Before studying these properties, we assessed the factorial structure of the questionnaire. RESULTS: The number of eigenvalues >1, computed by exploratory factor analysis, was seven. The percentage of cumulative variability explained by a model with six dimensions is 66, whereas that explained by a model with seven dimensions is 70. Therefore, considering that the increment of explained variability due to the seventh dimension is low (3.68%) and that the seventh eigenvalue is very close to 1, we considered a six-factor model capable of explaining the factorial structure of the data. Content analysis suggested eliminating the item 'Felt Self-conscious', as most of the subjects did not understand its meaning. Spearman correlation coefficients showed an association between the scores of all the different subscales and the variable for pain. All the coefficients were significantly different from 0 (P 0.70, showed quite a good reliability for each of the six subscales. CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal a reasonable degree of cross-cultural consistency between the two versions of the OHIP, and thus indicate that our Italian version is valid

Validation of the besta neurological institute rating scale for myasthenia gravis

INTRODUCTION: We validated the scale for myasthenia gravis (MG) developed at the Neurological Institute Foundation of Milan (INCB-MG scale). METHODS: A total of 174 patients were evaluated with the INCB-MG and compared with the MG Composite (MGC) as the gold standard. Dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the INCB-MG scale were studied by principal component factor analysis, Cronbach alpha, and Pearson correlation coefficients; interobserver reliability was calculated by the weighted Cohen K coefficient. RESULTS: Generalized and bulbar INCB-MG subscales were unidimensional with excellent consistency; the INCB-MG and MGC scales were strongly correlated. Fatigability assessment was correlated with the INCB-MG generalized, bulbar, and respiratory subscales. CONCLUSIONS: The INCB-MG scale is a reliable tool to assess MG and is strongly correlated with the MGC. The INCB-MG scale is a valid tool for every day practice and should be further investigated for its application in clinical trials

Validation of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire parent version (DEBQ-P) in the Italian population: a screening tool to detect differences in eating behaviour among obese, overweight and normal-weight preadolescents.

Objective: To validate the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire Parent version (DEBQ-P) in the Italian population and investigate the differences in eating behaviour among Italian normal-weight, overweight and obese preadolescents. Design: A cross-sectional validation study. Participants were measured and the approved translation of the questionnaire was administered to their parents. Setting: Three school communities in the province of Bergamo, Northern Italy. Subjects: A total of 312 preadolescents (mean age 12.9 y; s.d. 0.8, both sexes) from three secondary schools of the province of Bergamo, Northern Italy, and their parents were invited to participate to the study. Informed written consent was obtained from each subject and their parents. Students were measured and their parents filled in the approved translation of the DEBQ-P. Recruitment was opportunistic and school based. Results: Factor and internal consistency analysis confirmed the factor structure of the DEBQ-P and the high internal consistency of its three scales. Variance analysis showed that eating behaviour of Italian normal-weight, overweight and obese preadolescents differs significantly only in regards to the ‘restrained eating’ scale (F 19.29, Po0.001), with overweight and obese scoring higher. Conclusions: The DEBQ-P can be used for screening projects regarding eating behaviour in the Italian population. The association between restrained eating and weight status was confirmed for both sexes, but the relationship between external eating and emotional overeating and overweight requires further exploration

Validation of the italian version of the dizziness handicap inventory, the situational vertigo questionnaire, and the activity-specific balance confidence scale for peripheral and central vestibular symptoms

Neurophysiological measurements of the vestibular function for diagnosis and follow-up evaluations provide an objective assessment, which, unfortunately, does not necessarily correlate with the patients\u2019 self-feeling. The literature provides many questionnaires to assess the outcome of rehabilitation programs for disequilibrium, but only for the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) is an Italian translation available, validated on a small group of patients suffering from a peripheral acute vertigo. We translated and validated the reliability and validity of the DHI, the Situational Vertigo Questionnaire (SVQ), and the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) in 316 Italian patients complaining of dizziness due either to a peripheral or to a central vestibular deficit, or in whom vestibular signs were undetectable by means of instrumental testing or clinical evaluation. Cronbach\u2019s coefficient alpha, the homogeneity index, and test\u2013retest reproducibility, confirmed reliability of the Italian version of the three questionnaires. Validity was confirmed by correlation test between questionnaire scores. Correlations with clinical variables suggested that they can be used as a complementary tool for the assessment of vestibular symptoms. In conclusion, the Italian versions of DHI, SVQ, and ABC are reliable and valid questionnaires for assessing the impact of dizziness on the quality of life of Italian patients with peripheral or central vestibular deficit

Validation of the Italian Version of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory, the Situational Vertigo Questionnaire, and the Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale for Peripheral and Central Vestibular Symptoms

Neurophysiological measurements of the vestibular function for diagnosis and follow-up evaluations provide an objective assessment, which, unfortunately, does not necessarily correlate with the patients’ self-feeling. The literature provides many questionnaires to assess the outcome of rehabilitation programs for disequilibrium, but only for the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) is an Italian translation available, validated on a small group of patients suffering from a peripheral acute vertigo. We translated and validated the reliability and validity of the DHI, the Situational Vertigo Questionnaire (SVQ), and the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) in 316 Italian patients complaining of dizziness due either to a peripheral or to a central vestibular deficit, or in whom vestibular signs were undetectable by means of instrumental testing or clinical evaluation. Cronbach’s coefficient alpha, the homogeneity index, and test–retest reproducibility, confirmed reliability of the Italian version of the three questionnaires. Validity was confirmed by correlation test between questionnaire scores. Correlations with clinical variables suggested that they can be used as a complementary tool for the assessment of vestibular symptoms. In conclusion, the Italian versions of DHI, SVQ, and ABC are reliable and valid questionnaires for assessing the impact of dizziness on the quality of life of Italian patients with peripheral or central vestibular deficit