The Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire adapted for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients in China: reliability and validity analysis

Study design Outcome investigation to verify the internal consistency, reproducibility and validity of the adapted Chinese version of the Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22) questionnaire for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with idiopathic scoliosis. Objective To develop this questionnaire for the outcome measurement in treating Chinese adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis and evaluate its metric qualities. Summary of background data The SRS-22 questionnaire has proven to be a valid instrument for clinical assessment of patients with idiopathic scoliosis and has been successfully translated into Spanish and Turkish. In most developing countries, however, quality of life and psychological health have been poorly described when treating children with idiopathic scoliosis. Methods Trans-cultural adaptation of the SRS-22 questionnaire was carried out according to the International Quality of Life Assessment Project guidelines. The final version was approved by a committee of experts. The questionnaire was completed by 86 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis who had been treated with a brace; this included 11 males and 75 females, aged from 10 to 18 years (mean 13.9 years). Curve magnitude ranged from 25 degrees to 45 degrees (mean 35.6 degrees). A subgroup of 30 patients completed the questionnaire again in 3 or 4 weeks. Results Five common factors were acquired from factorial analysis, and the cumulative contribution ratio was 67.66%. The overall alpha coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.88. Coefficients for individual domains were as follows: function/ activity, 0.70; pain, 0.80; self-image, 0.80; mental health, 0.88; and satisfaction, 0.81. The questionnaire as a whole had a test-retest correlation coefficient of 0.97. Test-retest correlation coefficients for individual domains were as follows: function, 0.85; pain, 0.96; self-image, 0.96; mental health, 0.95; and satisfaction, 0.91. Conclusion The Chinese version of the SRS-22 questionnaire is eligible in terms of reliability and validity, and can be used to measure HRQoL for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients in Mainland China.