Translation and cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese of two brief screening tools for youth at risk of psychosis: the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ-16) and the PRIME-Screen

Abstract

Introduction

Prodromal characteristics of psychosis have been described for more than a century. Over the last three decades, a variety of studies have proposed methods to prospectively identify individuals (and youth in particular) who are at high risk of developing a psychotic disorder. These studies have validated various screening instruments and made them available in several languages. Here, we describe the translation into Brazilian Portuguese and cross-cultural adaptation of two such screening tools – the Prodromal Questionnaire-16 (PQ-16) and the Prevention through Risk Identification, Management, and Education (PRIME)-Screen.

Method

Two bilingual native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese translated the questionnaires from English. A native English speaker then performed back-translations into English. These back-translated versions were submitted to the original authors. They provided feedback and later approved the final versions.

Results

After translation and cross-cultural adaptation, no items needed to be changed in the adapted PQ-16 and four items were revised in the PRIME-Screen. After the peer-review process, we included two suggestions in the PQ-16 to facilitate use of the tool in our cultural and social contexts. The PRIME-Screen did not need further changes.

Conclusion

These new instruments can help screen Brazilian Portuguese-speaking patients who are at risk of psychosis in primary care.

Psychosis; screening tools; at-risk mental states; ultra-high risk