Reliability, Validity, and Responsiveness of the Korean Version of the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire and Shoulder Rating Questionnaire

Objective To translate, adapt, and test the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Korean version of the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ). Methods The international guideline for the adaptation of questionnaires was referenced for the translation and adaptation of the original SDQ and SRQ. Correlations of the SDQ-K and SRQ-K with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) were assessed to determine the reliability and validity of the questionnaires. To evaluate reliability, surveys were performed at baseline and a mean of 6 days later in 29 subjects who did not undergo any treatment for shoulder problems. To evaluate responsiveness, assessments were performed at baseline with 4-week intervals in 23 subjects with adhesive capsulitis who were administered triamcinolone injection into the glenohumeral joint. Results Fifty-two subjects with shoulder-related problems were surveyed. Cronbach alpha for internal consistency was 0.82 for the summary SDQ-K and 0.75 for the summary SRQ-K. The test-retest reliability of the SDQ-K, SRQ-K, and domains of the SRQ-K ranged from 0.84 to 0.95. The SDQ-K and SRQ-K summary scores correlated well with the SPADI and NRS summary scores. Generally, the effect sizes and standardized response means of the summary scores of the SDQ-K, SRQ-K, and domains of the SRQ-K were large, reflecting their responsiveness to clinical changes after treatment. Conclusion The reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the SDQ-K and SRQ-K were excellent. The SDQ-K and SRQ-K are feasible for Korean patients with shoulder pain or disability.