Adaptation and content validation of the Brazilian version of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory

OBJECTIVE To translate, adapt and validate the contents of the Brazilian version of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory. METHODS: The process of translation and adaptation of the initial instructions and items involved five steps: (1) translation; (2) back translation; (3) correction and semantic adaptation; (4) content validation by professional experts (judges); and (5) test of final version through a verbal-numbered scale. As performance indicators for understanding, the scores of central tendency (mean) and dispersion (standard deviation) were calculated for each item in step 5. Satisfactory comprehension was defined as a mean score ≥ 3. RESULTS The 36 questions and the initial instructions were translated and adapted to create the Brazilian version of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory. In the final stage of testing, 45 adults answered the items and demonstrated an adequate understanding of the instrument in the verbal-numbered scale (M = 4.13; dp = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS The Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory is an easily understood and semantically valid instrument. Further studies are needed to verify and evaluate the appropriateness of its psychometric properties for the Brazilian population.