Portuguese translation and psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 (SAQOL-39)

PURPOSE: The main goals of this study were to translate and assess the psychometric properties and reliability of the Portuguese version of the SAQOL-39 in a group of chronic aphasia patients. METHODS: We used the translation and retroversion method from the original scale to ensure conceptual uniformity. The instrument was administered to 33 aphasia patients. Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach´s alpha and test-retest reliability was explored (n=12). We also used Pearson´s and Spearman´s correlation coefficients to determine the correlations between the SAQOL-39 domains and other social and clinical variables. RESULTS: The translation process from the original scale was completed without difficulties. Cronbach´s alpha for SAQOL-39 was 0.953 and for each subdomain ranged from 0.882 (Psychosocial) to 0.971 (Physical). The test-retest reliability for total SAQOL-39 was 0.927 and for each subdomain ranged from 0.80 to 0.97. The global scores show neither floor nor ceiling effect and there were no missing data. There was no significant association between the total SAQOL-39 score and either age or years of education. We found a significant correlation between the Communication domain mean score and the Aphasia Quotient outcome (r=0.62, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: Despite the small sample size, the Portuguese version of the SAQOL-39 showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. This study also showed preliminary evidence for good acceptability, feasibility and reliability of this adaptation. The importance of communication ability in perceiving the quality of life in patients with aphasia has also been highlighted.