Everyday Memory Questionnaire-Revised (EMQ-R): Psychometric Validation of the European Portuguese Version in...

Area of Science:

• Psychometric validation
• Cognitive psychology
• Clinical assessment

Background:

• Subjective memory complaints are common and can impact daily life.
• Existing memory assessment tools may require cultural adaptation for diverse populations.
• The Everyday Memory Questionnaire-Revised (EMQ-R) is a widely used measure of perceived memory difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and culturally adapt the EMQ-R for the Portuguese population.
• To psychometrically validate the adapted EMQ-R in a large online sample.
• To establish the reliability and validity of the EMQ-R for Portuguese speakers.

Main Methods:

• A two-step validation process involving Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).
• Data collected online from 267 participants (aged 18-75).
• Convergent validity assessed using self-report measures of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Main Results:

• The EMQ-R demonstrated a robust unidimensional structure with 12 items for the Portuguese population.
• High internal consistency was confirmed (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega ≥ 0.90).
• Subjective memory complaints showed moderate correlations with anxiety and depression symptoms, supporting convergent validity. An optimal cut-off score of 16 was identified for screening.

Conclusions:

• The Portuguese version of the EMQ-R is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing subjective memory complaints.
• The EMQ-R can serve as a valuable screening tool for identifying individuals with memory concerns.
• Further research is recommended to validate the EMQ-R in clinical populations and across different contexts.