[Contribution to the Italian validation of the IPQ-R].

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Understanding patient perceptions of illness is crucial for effective interdisciplinary healthcare.
• Leventhal's self-regulation model highlights the importance of mental representations of illness.
• The Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R) assesses these representations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Italian version of the IPQ-R, focusing on Part II (opinions about disease).
• To assess the psychometric properties, including structural validity and reliability, of the Italian IPQ-R.
• To evaluate its utility in assessing cognitive factors in chronic illness adjustment.

Main Methods:

• 277 inpatients with various chronic conditions completed the Italian IPQ-R (translated and back-translated).
• Psychometric properties (structural validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability) were assessed.
• IPQ-R scores were correlated with SF-36 and Anxiety and Depression (AD) schedule scores.

Main Results:

• The validity of Part II of the Italian IPQ-R was confirmed, with 7 factors extracted.
• Statistically significant differences in perceptions were found between different diseases (ANOVA).
• Correlations between IPQ-R, SF-36, and AD schedule were significant and coherent, confirming construct validity. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were robust.

Conclusions:

• The Italian version of the IPQ-R demonstrates robust psychometric properties and is homogeneous with the original version.
• It is a reliable instrument for assessing patients' cognitive representations of various chronic illnesses.
• The validated Italian IPQ-R can aid in understanding patient adjustment to chronic conditions.