Improving Spanish translations of tobacco dependence measures using cognitive interviewing

ABSTRACT

Background

Cognitive interviewing is the practice of systematically collecting feedback about survey items from members of the priority population, with the goal of identifying and rectifying problems to increase the comprehensibility of the survey. Evidence is limited on the extent to which this method of pretesting improves survey items.

Objective

The current study examined the utility of incorporating cognitive interviewing to improve the Spanish translations of two measures of tobacco dependence.

Methods

Items from the Spanish versions of the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (68 items) and Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (19 items) were subjected to cognitive interviews with Spanish-speaking smokers. Problematic items were revised based on participant feedback and re-assessed in a second round of interviews (N = 23, 78.3% male; 21.7% female).

Results

Twenty-three of the 87 items demonstrated comprehension problems, and 67 items elicited at least one problem report. Number of problems were significantly fewer pre- vs. post-revision (t [90] = 6.55, p < .001).

Conclusions

In combination with standard translation procedures, cognitive interviewing with the priority population appears to be a useful method for ensuring comprehensible and relevant item content.

RESUMEN

Contexto: La entrevista cognitiva es la práctica de recopilar sistemáticamente información sobre los elementos de la encuesta de los miembros de la población prioritaria, con el objetivo de identificar y rectificar problemas para aumentar la comprensibilidad de la encuesta. La literatura científica existente es limitada en la medida en que este método de pruebas preliminares mejora los elementos de la encuesta.

Objetivo: El estudio actual examinó la utilidad de incorporar entrevistas cognitivas para mejorar las traducciones al español de dos medidas de dependencia del tabaco.

Métodos: Los elementos de las versiones en español del Inventario de Motivos de Dependencia del Fumar de Wisconsin (68 elementos) y la Escala del Síndrome de Dependencia de Nicotina (19 elementos) fueron sometidos a entrevistas cognitivas con fumadores hispanohablantes. Los elementos problemáticos se revisaron basándose en la retroalimentación de los participantes y se reevaluaron en una segunda ronda de entrevistas (N = 23, 78,3% hombres; 21,7% mujeres).

Resultados: Veintitrés de los 87 elementos demostraron problemas de comprensión, y 67 elementos presentaron por lo menos un reporte de problemas. El número de problemas fue significativamente menos antes y después de la revisión (t [90] = 6,55, p < 001).

Conclusión: En combinación con los procedimientos de traducción estándar, las entrevistas cognitivas con la población prioritaria parecen ser un método útil para garantizar un contenido comprensible y relevante para cada elemento.

KEYWORDS:

• Scale translation
• cognitive interviewing
• tobacco dependence
• WISDM
• NDSS

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge individual collaborators from the Latino Healthcare Forum: Community Healthcare Worker, Josefina Lopez; Recruitment Coordinator, Isabel Lopez; and Executive Director, Jill Ramirez, M.Ed. The authors would like to acknowledge Cristina B. Bares, Ph.D. and Marcel de Dios, Ph.D., for their expert review of the revised item translations.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no competing interests pertaining to this work.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities [R21MD011431, PI: Castro]; Preparation of this manuscript was funded in part by a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [T32HL140290, PI: Cubbin]. The contents of this manuscript are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institutes of Health.