Measuring parental-caregiver perceptions of child oral health-related quality of life: psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the P-CPQ.

The Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ) is an instrument that assesses a parent's or a caregiver's perceptions regarding the impact of children's oral health status on quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the P-CPQ. Following translation and cross-cultural adaptation, the P-CPQ was tested on 123 parents and caregivers of children between 11 and 14 years of age with dental caries and malocclusions. The parents/caregivers were recruited at dental clinics of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, where their children were receiving dental care. Psychometric properties were assessed through internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity and discriminant validity. The mean P-CPQ score was 13.01 (SD=12.14) for the dental caries group and 16.57 (SD=13.13) for the malocclusion group. Internal reliability was confirmed by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.84. Test-retest reliability revealed satisfactory reproducibility (ICC=0.83). Construct validity was satisfactory, demonstrating significant correlations between global indicators and the total scale. The P-CPQ score was able to discriminate between different parental/caregiver perceptions of oral conditions in their children (dental caries and malocclusion). The results for the Brazilian version of the P-CPQ confirm that this questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument to assess parental perceptions on the impact that oral health status has on children's life quality.