Validity and Reliability of the Topical Corticosteroid Phobia (TOPICOP©) Questionnaire: Thai Version

Abstract

Objective: To determine the validity and reliability of the Thai version of the Topical Corticosteroid Phobia (TOPICOP©) questionnaire, which is used to evaluate topical corticosteroid (TCS) phobia in atopic dermatitis (AD). Materials & Methods: The translation process and assessment of content validity were undertaken step-by-step. Adult patients with AD and the guardians of pediatric patients with AD completed the questionnaire twice, 2 weeks apart to test the reliability. Results: We enrolled 30 adult patients with AD and 30 caretakers of pediatric patients with AD in this study. The Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) was 0.9, indicating high validity. Test-retest reliability using Pearson correlation coefficient was tested, with r 0.938 (p <0.001). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient showed reliable internal consistency, with 0.691 and 0.734, respectively. Conclusion: The Thai version of the TOPICOP© is valid, reliable, and feasible for assessing TCS phobia in patients with AD and their caretakers of pediatric patients with AD.