Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Chinese version of the Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC/C)

BackgroundThe Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC) is a newly developed questionnaire used to measure the parental perceptions of the impact of malocclusion on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children aged 3-5 years. This study describes the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the MIS-EC questionnaire into Chinese version (MIS-EC/C).MethodsThe MIS-EC/C was developed in accordance with international standards. The scale was then evaluated in a cross-sectional study comprising 210 preschool children aged 3-5 years. The reliability of the MIS-EC/C was tested using internal consistency and test-retest reliability analyses. Cross-cultural validity, discriminant validity and convergent validity were tested.ResultsThe Cronbach's alpha value and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) value for the MIS-EC/C were 0.943 and 0.873, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the fitting indicators of the two-factor model all reached the standard. The MIS-EC/C can differentiate preschool children with malocclusion from those without malocclusion. In addition, there is a good relationship between the MIS-EC/C and the general oral health question.ConclusionThe MIS-EC/C is a reliable and effective assessment tool for assessing the effect of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of preschool children in China.