Spanish validation and cross-cultural adaptation of a health recovery expectations scale

This study validates and cross-culturally adapts a Spanish version of the "Provider Expectations for Recovery Scale" (EXPECT-P) and evaluates agreement among patients, families, and physicians regarding recovery expectations after hospitalization.

Translation of the questionnaire was done by five healthcare professionals. The final version was completed by 42 hospitalized patients aged over 60, their family members, and treating physicians. Patients with dementia, terminal illness, language barriers, or refusal to participate were excluded. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and agreement among raters was measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

The median ages of patients, family members, and physicians were 79.5, 56.5, and 35, respectively. Cronbach's alpha values were 0.82, 0.88, and 0.91, respectively. The ICC was 0.71 (95% CI 0.53-0.84, p=0.001). Patients had the highest EXPECT-P scores (median 23.5), followed by family members (median 19.5) and physicians (median 18). Significant differences were observed: 5.5 points between patients and physicians (p<0.001), 4 points between patients and family members (p=0.02), and 1.5 points between physicians and family members (p=0.26).

The EXPECT-P Scale showed strong validity and internal consistency. Significant discrepancies in recovery expectations were found between patients, family members, and physicians. These findings highlight the importance of aligning expectations to improve rehabilitation outcomes and reduce potential frustration.