Improving the Reporting Quality of Instrument Cross-cultural Adaptation: the IRICA Statement

Abstract

AIMS: To achieve a consensus on the reporting checklists for instrument Cross-Cultural Adaptation (CCA) research.METHODS: Firstly, we clarified the research rationality with literature review and established the preliminary checklist pool based on information extracting. Then, using the focus group and expert interview, we optimized the checklists. Finally, the international Delphi surveys were conducted to evaluate the agreement degree, importance and familiarity of the checklists. In data analysis, 21 indicators were included for quantitative assessments, accompanied with group discussions.RESULTS: A total of 61 articles was included for rational analysis and 70 items were extracted to establish the checklist pool. After focus group and experts interview research, a checklist draft contains 25 items was put forward. In the three-rounds of international Delphi surveys, 14(70.00%), 11(68.75%) and 11(68.75%) questionnaires were completed. Basing on the quantitative analysis and group discussions, 1, 1 and 9 items were deleted, added and modified. Finally, we formed the checklist for Improving the Reporting quality of Instrument cross-cultural adaptation (IRICA) which contains 24 items subhead under 6 sections: Title and structured summary, Rationale and Objective, Authorization, Participants Criteria, Forward Translations, Forward Synthesis, Backward Translations, Backward Synthesis, Experts Qualitative Review, Pilot Testing, Field Testing, Statistical methods, Participants, Series Instruments, Main results, Other analyses, Summary of evidence, Comparison of instruments, Limitations, Copyright owner interaction, Application attentions, Conclusions, Appendix, Funding. CONCLUSIONS: The IRICA statement can be used to guide users to report instrument CCA research in a standard manner, and assist to evaluate the reporting quality and study design.