Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Jugendwerk Dysphagia Emotion and Family Assessment (JDEFA) in Persian.

OBJECTIVE

Dysphagia adversely impacts physical and emotional well-being in patients with neurological diseases and their family members. Given the detrimental emotional consequences of dysphagia for both patients and their family members, the imperative for a standardized assessment tool aiming to effectively enhance treatment outcomes is evident. The present study focused on the translation process, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Jugendwerk Dysphagia Emotion and Family Assessment (JDEFA) questionnaire in Persian. The P-JDEFA assesses familial and emotional aspects of dysphagia among patients and their family members.

METHODS

The questionnaire was translated into Persian according to World Health Organization guidelines. We recruited 100 participants to validate the P-JDEFA questionnaire. Fifty patients and fifty of their family members completed the survey. Analysis was accomplished by parametric tests including Pearson correlation and independent t tests and construct validity was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation.

RESULTS

Convergent validity was evaluated using the P-EAT-10. The 48-item questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.91), and two distinct factors, "emotion" and "family", explained 47.7% of the total variance. Significant correlations were found between psycho-emotional symptoms, dysphagia severity, and neurologic disorder duration. Patients experience increased feelings of sadness, anxiety, and punishment compared to family members.

CONCLUSION

It was evident that psycho-emotional difficulties are common in neurological patients with dysphagia and their family members. Our research provides a means for comprehensive evaluation of the psycho-emotional aspects of dysphagia within the framework of patient, family and health professional interactions in treatment planning and future investigations.