ABSTRACT
The development of appropriate and valid multicultural and multilingual instruments research is necessary due to a growing multicultural and multilingual society in the 21st century. We explored the use of a cognitive scale related to subjective complaints, focusing on the first step: a cross-cultural and semantic validation. This study presents the translation and cross-validation process of the "Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Schizophrenia" (SSTICS) for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) region via different languages used in Dubaï/Abu Dhabi. This scale measures cognitive complaints and has been validated with psychosis and used in 20 clinical trials worldwide. It evaluates areas of the illness related to self-awareness focusing on memory dysfunction and deficits of attention, language, and praxis. We described the method of cross-cultural validation, with back-translation, semantic steps, and societal contexts. The use of the Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Emirates (SSTIC-E) was explored with different samples of UAE Arabic-speaking subjects. First, a pilot sample mean SSTICS total score was 16.5 (SD:16.9); (p < 0.001). The SSTIC-E was then administered to 126 patients and 84 healthy control participants. The healthy group has a lower mean score of 22.55 (SD = 12.04) vs. 34.06 (SD = 15.19). The method was extended to nine other languages, namely, Pakistani/Urdu, Hindi, Marathi, Lithuanian, Serbian, German, Romanian, Sinhala, and Russian. The scales are provided in the article. The overall aim of the translation process should be to stay close to the original version of the instrument so that it is meaningful and easily understood by the target language population. However, for construct validity, some items must be adapted at the time of translation to ensure that the questioned cognitive domain is respected. For example, cooking, an executive function, does not have the same occurrence for an Emirati male, or remembering a prime minister's name, semantic memory, requires an electoral system to appoint the leader of a country. Translation methods and processes present many challenges but applying relevant and creative strategies to reduce errors is essential to achieve semantic validation. This study aims to measure personally experienced knowledge or attitudes; such language effects can be a thorny problem.
ABSTRACT
A network of early psychosis-specific intervention programs at the University of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, conducted a longitudinal naturalistic five-year study at two Urban Early Intervention Services (EIS). In this study, 198 patients were recruited based on inclusion/exclusion criteria and agreed to participate. Our objectives were to assess the subjective cognition complaints of schizophrenic patients assessed by Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Schizophrenia (SSTICS) in their first-episode psychosis (FEP) in relation to their general characteristics. We also wanted to assess whether there are sex-based differences in the subjective cognitive complaints, as well as differences in cognitive complaints among patients who use alcohol in comparison to those who are abstainers. Additionally, we wanted to monitor the changes in the subjective complaints progress for a period of five years follow-up. Our findings showed that although women expressed more cognitive complaints than men [mean (SD) SSTICS, 28.2 (13.7) for women and 24.7 (13.2) for men], this difference was not statistically significant (r = -0.190, 95 % CI, -0. 435 to 0. 097). We also found that abstainers complained more about their cognition than alcohol consumers [mean (SD) SSTICS, 27.9 (13.4) for abstainers and 23.7 (12.9) for consumers], a difference which was statistically significant (r = -0.166, 95 % CI, -0. 307 to -0.014). Our findings showed a drop in the average score of SSTICS through study follow-up time among FEP patients. In conclusion, we suggest that if we want to set up a good cognitive remediation program, it is useful to start with the patients' demands. This demand can follow the patients' complaints. Further investigations are needed in order to propose different approaches between alcohol users and abstinent patients concerning responding to their cognitive complaints.
ABSTRACT
Los resultados contradictorios de las investigaciones respecto a la capacidad de las personas con esquizofrenia, para percibir sus déficits cognitivos, podrían explicarse por factores metodológicos, en especial, por diferencias en los instrumentos empleados y las funciones evaluadas. Esta investigación reporta los resultados obtenidos comparando directamente, el desempeño cognitivo, con el reporte subjetivo de dificultades cotidianas derivadas del mismo. Método: Participaron 57 personas con diagnóstico de esquizofrenia, entre 18 y 55 años, clínicamente estables y con un déficit cognitivo demostrado. El funcionamiento cognitivo fue evaluado con la batería CogState, mientras que la percepción de los pacientes fue registrada con la Escala Subjetiva para Investigar la Cognición en la Esquizofrenia (SSTICS). Se correlacionó específicamente, los desempeños en cada función cognitiva con los ítems correspondientes de la escala. Resultados: Los puntajes reportados en la escala SSTICS, indican un grado de dificultad leve a moderado, en todos los funciones evaluadas, sin diferencias por edad o género. El análisis de correlación entre la batería Cogstate y la escala SSTICS, sólo muestra una asociación directa, estadísticamente significativa, entre las preguntas referidas a dificultades en la vida diaria y las evaluaciones de atención y resolución de problemas. Al examinar por funciones cognitivas específicas y puntación total en la SSTICS, no se encuentran asociaciones significativas. Discusión: La falta de correlación entre el desempeño en la batería Cogstate y la autoevaluación en la encuesta SSTICS, podría explicarse por la falta de percepción de los pacientes de sus déficits cognitivos...
The contradictory results of investigations into the ability of persons with schizophrenia, to perceive their cognitive deficits, could be explained by methodological factors, especially, differences in the instruments used and the functions evaluated. This study reports the results obtained by directly comparing, cognitive performance, and subjective report of daily difficulties arising from the same in a group of people with schizophrenia. Methods: 57 participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, between 18 and 55 years, clinically stable and with a demonstrated cognitive deficit. Cognitive performance was evaluated with the CogState battery, while the perception of patients was registered with the SSTICS scale. The performance in each cognitive function was specifically, correlated with the corresponding items of the scale. Results: The scores reported in the SSTICS scale, indicate a degree of mild to moderate difficulty, in all the functions assessed, without differences by age or gender. The analysis of correlation between the Cogstate battery and SSTICS scale, only shows a direct, statistically significant association, between the questions referring to difficulties in daily life and evaluations of attention and resolution of problems. Examining specific cognitive functions and the total score in the SSTICS, did not yield any significant associations. Discussion: The lack of correlation between the performance in the Cogstate battery and self-evaluation in the SSTICS scale, could be explained by the lack of perception of patients of their cognitive deficits...
