Polish validation of Brace Questionnaire

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to undertake the process of cultural adaptation of the Brace Questionnaire (BrQ) into Polish. METHODS: The BrQ is an instrument for measuring the quality of life of scoliotic adolescents who are being treated conservatively with wearing a corrective brace. The BrQ consists of 34 Likert-scale items related to eight domains. The translation from the original Greek into Polish was performed. The process of cultural adaptation of the questionnaire was in accordance with the guidelines of the International Quality of Life Assessment Project. It involved 35 adolescents, aged between 10.0 and 16.0 years, all with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with mean Cobb angle of 35.1 ± 10.6 degrees, and all wearing the same kind of brace (Chêneau orthosis) for more than 3 months. Statistical analysis calculated the reliability (internal consistency), floor and ceiling effects of the BrQ. RESULTS: The internal consistency was satisfactory; Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.94. There was no floor or ceiling effects. CONCLUSIONS: Polish version of the BrQ is reliable and can be used in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis wearing the brace to assess their quality of life.