Psychometric evaluation of ICIQ-CLUTS and comparison with the DVSS questionnaires in a pediatric population in Farsi.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Continence Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-CLUTS) in Persian, and to compare its performance with the existing Persian version of the Dysfunctional Voiding Symptom Score (DVSS) in a pediatric cohort.

METHODS

A total of 131 participants (69 females, 62 males; mean age (SD): 6.97 (2.56) years) completed the ICIQ-CLUTS, and 93 completed the DVSS (52 females, 41 males; mean age (SD): 6.27 (2.27)). Psychometric analyses included internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient), construct validity (Exploratory Factor Analysis), and criterion validity (Pearson's correlation with DVSS). Secondary analyses explored sex differences using t-tests and ROC curves.

RESULTS

The mean ICIQ-CLUTS score was 4.72 (SD = 2.81), and DVSS was 5.84 (SD = 3.43). Both questionnaires demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (ICIQ-CLUTS α = 0.746; DVSS α = 0.701) and good to moderate test-retest reliability (ICIQ-CLUTS ICC = 0.802; DVSS ICC = 0.667). EFA revealed multi-factor structures. A significant positive correlation was observed between the questionnaires (r = 0.540, p < 0.001). No significant sex differences were found in total scores for either instrument.

CONCLUSION

The Persian version of the ICIQ-CLUTS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing LUTS in children. It performs comparably to the DVSS, which is already available in Persian. Both tools are suitable for general symptom quantification in pediatric clinical practice and research. The study supports the use of the translated ICIQ-CLUTS for screening and monitoring LUTS in Persian-speaking populations.