Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Swallowing Satisfaction Scale (SSS)

The purpose of the current study was to develop a new scale to assess a level of satisfaction associated directly with swallowing ability. First, by interviewing 10 adults with dysphagia, 10 experts, as well as reviewing literature, the initial version of the swallowing satisfaction scale (SSS) was developed. The content validity of the SSS was evaluated using two qualitative and quantitative methods and expert opinions. The qualitative method was also used to determine face validity through interviews with 10 adults with dysphagia. Finally, the reliability of the scale was assessed by determining the values of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Interviews with patients with swallowing disorders and experts in the field of dysphagia, as well as a literature review, led to the development of an initial version of the SSS with 36 items. After determining content and face validity, the number of items in the scale was reduced to 24. The calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficient with participation of 53 patients with dysphagia showed the appropriate internal consistency of the SSS (0.968). Moreover, the ICC coefficient of the scale score in the test-retest phase was 0.983 and the ICC of each scale item was between 0.87 and 0.98. In this study, a suitable tool was developed to evaluate the level of satisfaction associated directly with swallowing ability in individuals with dysphagia, and its psychometric properties were investigated. The SSS is a valid and reliable tool with 24 items that can be used by therapists and researchers for clinical or research purposes.