Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders (EDs) affect up to 13% of young people and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, important, internationally recognized instruments for brief ED screening (Sick Control One Stone Fat Food Questionnaire [SCOFF]), symptom severity assessment and diagnosis (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire [EDE-Q]) and assessment of ED-associated psychosocial impairment (Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire [CIA]) were not yet available in Brazilian Portuguese. Our objective was to perform the cross-cultural adaptation and translation into Brazilian Portuguese of the instruments SCOFF, EDE-Q and CIA. METHOD: The process involved a series of standardized steps, as well as discussions with experts. First, the relevance and adequacy of the scales' items to our culture and population were extensively discussed. Then, two independent groups translated the original documents, creating versions that were compared. With the participation of external ED experts (i.e., who did not take part in the translation process), synthesized versions were produced. The syntheses were then applied to a focal group of patients with ED (n = 8). After that step, a preliminary version of the three scales in Brazilian Portuguese was produced and sent for back-translation by two English native speakers, who worked independently. A synthesis of the back-translations, along with the preliminary versions in Brazilian Portuguese, were sent to the original authors. RESULTS: The Brazilian Portuguese versions of SCOFF, EDE-Q and CIA were approved by the original authors and are now available for use. CONCLUSION: This study provides important tools for the ED research field in Brazil.