Translation, adaptation and psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the numerical rating scale when used with children and adolescents

• Published in: Current medical research and opinion 2022-06, Vol.38 (6), p.963-969
• Main Authors: Finianos, Jessica, Sánchez-Rodríguez, Elisabet, Ferrando, Pere J., Miró, Jordi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arabic; NRS-11; Pain assessment; pain intensity; reliability; translation; validity; young people
• ISSN: 0300-7995; 1473-4877
• DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2022.2042973

The 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-11) is widely used with Arabic-speaking pediatric populations. However, there is no data about its validity or reliability. Thus, the aims of this research were to translate the NRS-11 into Arabic and study its dimensionality and construct (convergent and discriminant) validity, and reliability. A group of 190 Lebanese students between 8 and 18 years old participated. Participants were interviewed online and asked to imagine themselves in a hypothetical painful situation and rate the expected pain intensity using the NRS-11-Arabic and an Arabic version of the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS-Arabic). They were also requested to respond to the pediatric Arabic version of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS-Arabic). Data collection lasted for a month. Data showed that the NRS-11-Arabic and the VAS-Arabic scores measure the same common construct. In addition, they showed strong statistically significant correlations between NRS-11 and VAS (ranging from 0.83 for the whole sample and 0.83 and 0.84 for the 8-12-year-olds and the 13-18-year-olds, which support its construct validity). These correlations were higher than those between the NRS-11-Arabic and the PCS-Arabic, which support the discriminant validity of NRS-11-Arabic scores. Test-retest reliability was 0.86 for the whole sample, and 0.89 and 0.82 for the 8-12-year-olds and the 13-18-year-olds, respectively, which shows the reliability of the NRS-11-Arabic scores. The data provide preliminary evidence of the unidimensionality, validity and reliability of the NRS-11-Arabic scores, thus supporting its use in clinical and research activities involving Arabic-speaking pediatric samples.