Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) - Brazilian version: cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity in individuals with chronic low back pain.

INTRODUCTION

The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) is one of the most translated questionnaires that assesses the individual's back awareness. However, the questionnaire is not available in Brazilian Portuguese. This study aimed to cross-culturally translate the original English version of the FreBAQ into Brazilian Portuguese (Br) and evaluate its measurement properties in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

METHODS

The sample consisted of two hundred and seventy-nine participants, 178 with CLBP and 101 asymptomatic controls. Cross-cultural adaptation was performed, and the measurement properties were analyzed. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC2.1), Cronbach's α, and Smallest Detectable Change (SDC) were used to assess test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and measurement error, respectively. In addition, Pearson's correlation and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to test hypotheses about construct validity and structural validity, respectively.

RESULTS

Sufficient structural validity indices were obtained for the 9-item unidimensional model. Internal consistency (α=0.84) and reliability (ICC=0.81) of the FreBAQ-Br were both considered adequate. The FreBAQ-Br showed SDC = 3.33 as a parameter of measurement error. The hypothesis testing for construct validity confirmed 94.11% of the hypotheses raised a priori, and FreBAQ score showed sufficient discriminative capability to distinguish CLBP controls from asymptomatic participants.

CONCLUSION

The FreBAQ-Br demonstrated adequate reliability, internal consistency, structural validity, construct validity, and discriminant validity. As a result, we recommend its use to assess back awareness in Brazilian speakers.