Development of aGerman short version of the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire

Abstract

The Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) is aquestionnaire for assessing hearing-specific quality of life in the context of cochlear implantation. Its length (60items) makes it difficult to use in clinical practice, so ashort version is desirable. The question arises as to which items should be selected for the short version. The items were selected statistically using uncorrected item-total score correlation. Item selection was made based on datasets from three measurement points: before implantation and 3and 12months after processor activation. The items were selected according to the criterion that they were among the 40items with the highest item-total score correlation at each of the three measurement points. Of the 60items in the NCIQ, 25met the criterion and were hence included in the short version. The short version yields similar scores as the long version at the postoperative timepoints; however, at the preoperative timepoint, the agreement of the scores is suboptimal. Split-half reliability and internal homogeneity of the short version are very good. The present study constitutes an initial positive evaluation of ashort form of the NCIQ in terms of standard psychometric criteria. Application of the short form is associated with significantly reduced resources in terms of processing and evaluating.