Convergent Validity and Test-Retest Reliability of the Swedish Version of the Empowerment Audiology Questionnaire

Hearing loss affects communication and participation. Empowerment initiatives support individuals to manage their condition and facilitate patient-centered care. The Empowerment Audiology Questionnaires (EmpAQ-15/5), recently translated and validated in Swedish (EmpAQ SWE), were evaluated for convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. This study evaluates the convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of EmpAQ SWE.

A total of 136 adults with hearing loss completed an online survey twice. The survey consisted of EmpAQ-SWE and five measures assessing hearing disability, everyday functioning, hearing aid benefit, and general disability. For analysis, Spearman's correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha were used.

There were significant correlations between the EmpAQ SWE and measures of hearing disability (r = -.389), everyday functioning (r = -.350), and hearing aid benefit (r = .542 and r = -.326). There were no significant correlations between the EmpAQ and general disability. The test-retest results for the EmpAQ-SWE indicated strong reliability (r = .760) and moderate internal consistency (α = .678).

EmpAQ SWE demonstrated positive associations with everyday functioning and hearing aid benefit and negative associations with hearing disability. Although causality cannot be established, the findings support the convergent validity and reliability of EmpAQ SWE, underscoring its potential utility in clinical and research contexts.