ESTABLISHING RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE ARABIC VERSION OF THE HYPERACUSIS QUESTIONNAIRE

Abstract

Background To evaluate the extent of hyperacusis, different validated questionnaires have been published in English, such as the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ) developed by Khalfa. However, there is currently no reliable and validated Arabic version of the HQ for use in clinical settings. This study aimed to translate the Khalfa modified HQ into Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and to determine its validity and reliability in assessing the severity of hyperacusis in Arabic-speaking countries. Material and methods The original English version of the Khalfa modified HQ was translated into MSA. The translated version was applied to 142 patients who were divided into two groups: subjects aware of their hyperacusis and subjects not aware of their hyperacusis condition. Internal consistency reliability and Pearson correlation coefficient were calculated. Pairwise comparison of the total score and the score for each dimension was performed using unpaired t-tests. Validity assessment, consisting of Construct and Content validity, were also assessed. Results Results show high internal consistency and reliability coefficient. Results of correlation analysis suggest an overall strong and significant correlation between the average score of each item and the overall average score of all items in the questionnaire. The mean difference between the group reporting hyperacusis and the group reporting no hyperacusis was not statistically significant. Also, the gender effect was not statistically significant. Conclusions The Arabic version of the modified HQ shows high reliability and validity, suggesting it is a useful tool for the assessment of the severity of hyperacusis of Arabic-speaking patients with hyperacusis.