Objective: The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Simplified Chinese version of the Vocal Performance Questionnaire (VPQ-CM) for evaluating vocal performance.
Methods: The original VPQ was translated into Chinese following the Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. The Mandarin Chinese version of the VPQ (VPQ-CM) consists of 12 items, and patients select the most appropriate option based on their own perception. Higher scores indicate poorer vocal performance. A total of 120 participants with vocal disorders and 120 healthy participants completed the VPQ-CM. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest methods. Content validity was evaluated through expert consensus by the Delphi method. Structural validity was measured by factor analysis. Criterion validity was assessed by analyzing the correlation between VPQ-CM and VHI-10. Discriminant validity was evaluated by comparing the scores of participants with vocal disorders and healthy participants for significant differences. Additionally, ROC curve analysis was utilized to identify the cutoff score for distinguishing between participants with and without vocal disorders.
Results: VPQ-CM demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's _ = 0.882) and test-retest reliability (ICC: 0.954). The expert committee unanimously agreed that the questionnaire had good content validity (expert authority level Cr = 0.767-0.967, coefficient of variation Cv = 5.23-16.64%). The loading values of each item in the described common factors of the VPQ-CM were greater than 0.4, indicating good structural validity. There was a significant correlation between the VPQ-CM and VHI-10 (r = 0.608-0.761, p < 0.001), demonstrating good criterion validity of the questionnaire. Significant differences were observed in the VPQ-CM scores between participants with vocal disorders and healthy participants (P < 0.001), indicating good discriminant validity of the VPQ-CM.
Conclusion: The VPQ-CM demonstrated good reliability and validity and can be utilized for clinical measurement of vocal performance in patients with vocal disorders.