Validation of Italian version of Brace Questionnaire (BrQ)

Brace questionnaire (BrQ) is a tool used to evaluate Health Quality of Life (HRQoL) in patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) that undergo bracing treatment. The BrQ has not been translated and validated for Italian-speaking patients with AIS. The aim of the study was to perform a trans-cultural validation of BrQ to be used in an Italian speaking population.

Translation into Italian (I-BrQ) and back translation to the original Greek (G-BrQ) was performed. The final I-BrQ was then analyzed for Italian cultural characteristics and no inconsistencies were found. After that, construct validity was measured analyzing the I-BrQ relationship with 1) Scoliosis Research Society-22 patient Questionnaire (SRS-22), in order to evaluate the relationship with another patient-oriented questionnaire not focused on brace therapy; 2) Cobb degree scale, in order to evaluate the relationship with the magnitude of the curve. Reproducibility was also tested.

Translation of the G-BrQ into Italian was successful and back-translation to Greek corresponded well with the original Greek version.Global I-BrQ correlated strongly with SRS-22 (r = 0.826; p < 0.001). Almost all sub scores from each I-BrQ domain strongly correlated with the single domain scores of SRS-22. Only two I-BrQ sub scores weakly inversely correlated with Cobb degree value.Reproducibility was good (Spearman-Brown coefficient value was 0.943; p < 0.05).

Trans-cultural validation in Italian language showed the validity and reliability of the I-BrQ.