Validation of the Italian version of the Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire for children

The purpose of this study was to translate the Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire (OAFQ) into Italian, to perform a cross-cultural adaptation and to evaluate its psychometric properties. The Italian OAFQ was developed according to the recommended forward/backward translation protocol and evaluated in pediatric patients treated for symptomatic flatfoot deformity. Feasibility, reliability, internal consistency, construct validity [comparing OAFQ domains with Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) domains] and responsiveness to surgical treatment were assessed. A total of 61 children and their parents were enrolled in the study. Results showed satisfactory levels of internal consistency for both children and parent forms. The test-retest reliability was confirmed by high ICC values for both child and parents subscales. Good construct validity was showed by patterns of relationships consistent with theoretically related domains of the CHQ. After surgery, the mean OAFQ scores improved in all the domains after treatment with the subtalar arthroereisis, for both children and parent scales (p < 0.01). Effect size ranged from small to moderate for almost all domains. The Italian version of the OAFQ might be a reliable and valid instrument in order to evaluate interventions used to treat children's foot or ankle problem, but needs further study on different clinical settings.