# Protocol for translation and cross-cultural adaptation of diagnostic questionnaires for pediatric disorders of gut-brain interaction

## TL;DR

This paper outlines a detailed protocol for translating and adapting diagnostic questionnaires for gut-brain interaction disorders in children across different cultures.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a structured, nine-step protocol for cross-cultural adaptation of Rome Foundation questionnaires for pediatric use.

## Key findings

- The protocol includes stages like forward and backward translation, cognitive debriefing, and content validity assessment.
- It incorporates guidelines from the Rome Foundation to ensure diagnostic accuracy across cultures.
- The method aims to support future translations and epidemiological studies using these questionnaires.

## Abstract

To describe the protocol used for translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaires developed by the Rome Foundation for the diagnosis of disorders of gut-brain interaction in the pediatric population.

The protocol was proposed based on a narrative review of the literature on the cultural adaptation process of measurement instruments in epidemiology, analyzing its stages, and verifying its use and feasibility. The guidelines for the cross-cultural adaptation of diagnostic instruments developed by the Rome Foundation, which defines and periodically reviews diagnostic criteria, were incorporated into the protocol.

The proposed protocol includes: (i) preparation; (ii) forward translation; (iii) reconciliation; (iv) backward translation; (v) review of the backward translation; (vi) cognitive debriefing; (vii) final review; (viii) calculation of the item content validity index; and (ix) approval by the Rome Foundation.

The methodological steps described in this protocol may contribute to future translations and cross-cultural adaptations of diagnostic questionnaires of disorders of gut-brain interaction and other materials from the Rome Foundation, enabling their use in epidemiological studies.