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Validation of the LittlEARS(®) Questionnaire in Hearing Maltese-Speaking Children

Objectives: To adapt the LittlEARS(®) Auditory Questionnaire into the Maltese language and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Maltese version of the questionnaire for hearing children. Methods: The English version of LittlEARS(®) Auditory Questionnaire was adapted into Maltese using a trans...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Miggiani, Pauline, Coninx, Frans, Schaefer, Karolin
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9031242/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35447742
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/audiolres12020022
Descripción
Sumario:Objectives: To adapt the LittlEARS(®) Auditory Questionnaire into the Maltese language and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Maltese version of the questionnaire for hearing children. Methods: The English version of LittlEARS(®) Auditory Questionnaire was adapted into Maltese using a translation/back translation procedure. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 398 parents of normal hearing children aged between 5 days and 36 months completed the Maltese version of LittlEARS(®). Psychometric validation was performed through scale analysis, item analysis, and analysis of reliability and validity. A non-linear regression model was derived to obtain normative data for expected and minimum values of total scores from the questionnaire according to age. Results: Predictive accuracy (Guttman’s lambda) was 0.921, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient value was 0.921, and the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.949. The Pearson correlation coefficient between scores and age was 0.903. The regression analysis showed that 82% of the variance in the total scores can be explained by age. Norm curves were comparable to the original German data. Conclusion: This study confirmed that the Maltese version of LittlEARS(®) is a valid and reliable tool to evaluate auditory development in children less than two years of age.