Cross-cultural adaptation of the Chilean version of the Modern Singing Handicap Index: MSHI.

PURPOSE: Perform the cross-cultural equivalence of the Chilean version of the Modern Singing Handicap Index - MSHI, through its cultural and linguistic adaptation.

METHODS: A translation of the MSHI for the Chilean Spanish and the back translation for the Italian was made, and discrepancies were found; a committee of four language pathologist had to resolve any discrepancies and, when found, a consensus must be reached resulting in the final version of the Índice de Desventaja Vocal para Canto Popular - IDVCP-Ch, with the same structure than the original of 30 items and four answers options. The IDVCP-Ch was applied to 25 popular singers. Every item had the option "Not applicable" in order to identify questions that were not comprehended or not appropriate for the concerned population. Nine singers' marked eight items as "Not Applicable", therefore, six of them had its translation adapted. The modified IDVCP-Ch was applied to other 11 popular singers who don't participated of the anterior phase.

RESULTS: The IDVCP-Ch reflects its original Italian version, both in the number of items and in the limitation of handicap, disability and impairments domains.

CONCLUSION: A cross-cultural equivalence od the IDVCP-Ch, was demonstrated for the Chilean Spanish.