Abstract
BACKGROUND: The reliability of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Multiple Myeloma Module (MDASI-MM) was evaluated through its Chinese translation among Chinese patients with multiple myeloma. METHODS: The MDASI-MM scale underwent translation into Chinese following Brislin's two-way translation paradigm, incorporating ortho-translation, back-translation, pre-surveying, and cultural adaptation. The scale's validity and reliability were assessed using a sample of five hundred multiple myeloma patients from three tertiary general hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China, selected through convenience sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics provided demographic information, while item analysis evaluated scale components. The scale's validity was assessed through content, construct, discriminant, convergent, and criterion validity analyses. Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency and split-half reliability measures, while responsiveness was assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The Chinese version of the MDASI-MM scale consists of 26 items, including 13 core symptom items, seven multiple myeloma-specific symptom items, and six interference items. The item-level content validity index ranges from 0.889 to 1.000, the scale-level content validity index/universal agreement is 0.846, and the scale-level content validity index/average is 0.983. Validated factor analysis showed good model fit with χ(2)/df = 1.687, GFI = 0.879, RMSEA = 0.053, CFI = 0.913, NFI = 0.813, TLI = 0.899, IFI = 0.915, AGFI = 0.848. The combination reliability (CR) values ranged from 0.747 to 0.865, and the average variance extracted (AVE) ranged from 0.529 to 0.643. Each dimension's correlation coefficient with other dimensions was lower than the corresponding AVE's square root. The total scale demonstrated a Cronbach's alpha of 0.908 (range: 0.856-0.889) and split-half reliability of 0.890 (range: 0.873-0.916). CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese version of the MDASI-MM scale demonstrates robust validity and reliability for evaluating clinical features in Chinese patients with multiple myeloma. This comprehensive symptom assessment tool enables healthcare professionals to examine disease characteristics thoroughly, providing a foundation for developing targeted and effective symptom management strategies.