BBSS Questionnaire - validation of the translation into Brazilian Portuguese: test-retest and inter-rater reliability.

• Grant number: 25/07462-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Cláudia Mirândola Barbosa Reis
• Grantee: Julia Abreu dos Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Single-sided deafness impacts the daily lives and psychological well-being of affected individuals. The Bern Benefit in Single-Sided Deafness (BBSS) questionnaire is a tool that contains 10 visual analog scales assessing the perceived subjective benefit of electronic hearing aids in individuals with unilateral deafness in various situations. In 2023, the questionnaire was translated into Brazilian Portuguese by Luna et al. (Questionário de Bern sobre os benefícios do uso de dispositivo eletrônico auxiliar da audição na surdez unilateral), as there was no tool developed, translated, or adapted for this purpose in Brazil. However, this translation has not yet been validated for its reliability. This study aims to validate the translation of the BBSS questionnaire, focusing on test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability. It is important to have standardized and validated instruments for evaluating and/or monitoring the intervention process for the Brazilian population with unilateral deafness, in order to better inform services and public policies that cater to them. Participants will complete the questionnaire digitally in two sessions, accompanied by independent researchers. To analyze test-retest reliability, To analyze the reliability of the test-retest, we will use the Pearson Correlation Coefficient to measure the correlation between the scores obtained at two different times during the administration of the BBSS questionnaire. Additionally, we will employ the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) as a measure to evaluate reliability in test-retest studies, especially when there are more than two evaluators or measurements. For the analysis of inter-rater reproducibility, we may include, if necessary, Cohen's Kappa test to measure the agreement between raters on categorical data. We will also use Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to compare the mean scores given by different evaluators.