The Validity and Reliability of the Persian version of the Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire and Misery Scale

Motion sickness can be induced by both real and simulated movement. Questionnaires such as the Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ) and the Misery Scale (MISC) assess susceptibility but require cultural adaptation for non-English speakers. This study aims to translate and adapt these instruments into Persian (MSAQ-P and MISC-P) and evaluate their validity and reliability.

The MSAQ and MISC were translated into Persian and underwent cross-cultural adaptation. A sample of 70 participants, comprising 21 experienced pilots, 27 pilot students, and 22 non-pilot students, completed the MSAQ-P, MISC-P, Numerical Rating Scale-Persian (NRS-P), and MSSQ-Short-P. The psychometric properties of the MSAQ-P and MISC-P, including face validity, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability, were evaluated.

The MSAQ-P and MISC-P demonstrated strong face validity. Concurrent validity was confirmed by high correlations between total MSAQ-P and NRS-P (r=0.79, P=0.002), MISC-P (r=0.86, P<0.001), and MSSQ-short-p (r=0.84, P<0.001). Discriminant validity was supported by significant differences in mean scores of MSAQ-P and MISC-P among the three study groups (P<0.05). Internal consistency was evidenced by Cronbach's alpha of 0.97 for the MSAQ-P total score and 0.83, 0.86, 0.89, and 0.88 for gastrointestinal, central nervous system, peripheral, and sopite-related symptoms, respectively. Finally, test-retest reliability was excellent, with ICC values ranging from 0.96 to 0.998 for the MSAQ-P and 0.88 for the MISC-P.

The MSAQ-P and MISC-P exhibit cultural appropriateness, robust validity, and reliability, rendering them valuable instruments for evaluating motion sickness in Persian-speaking populations.