[German transcultural translation of the Injustice Experience Questionnaire].

BACKGROUND: Occupational and social rehabilitation is influenced by perceived injustice as a result of injury. To assess perceived injustice, the Injustice Experience Questionnaire (IEQ) has been developed and is available in English. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the English version of the IEQ into German.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The IEQ was translated into German according to the criteria for the transcultural adaptation of self-assessment tools. The translation was examined in a sample of 19 pain patients as to whether the translated items were comprehensible, unacceptable or offensive, and what their meaning and the reason for the chosen response were. Data were assessed using nonparametric statistical methods.

RESULTS: The German translation of the IEQ showed a high degree of comprehensibility. The items' meanings and participants' selected answer options were rated as highly plausible by two raters and the wording of the items was assessed as being neither unacceptable nor offensive by participants. Because of the slightly increased values with regard to Item 3, whose meaning was unrecognized by the raters, the term "Unachtsamkeit" was replaced by "Unaufmerksamkeit."

CONCLUSION: The study attests to the cultural and linguistic intelligibility and precision of the German translation of the IEQ. In a follow-up study, the translation should be validated in a larger sample of pain patients.