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Table 3 Summary of items and potential interpretations which caused bias in the student sample

From: Enhancing rigour in the validation of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs): bridging linguistic and psychometric testing

Item

Score

Statement

Welsh translation (lit.)

Potential interpretation

Potential scoring impact

6.Punishment feelings

0

I don’t feel I am being punished

I don’t feel I am being punished

  
 

1

I feel I may be punished

1Rydw i’n teimlo y gallwn i gael fy nghosbi (I feel I may/can be punished)

Welsh translation reflects stronger punishment feelings

Underscoring of item in Welsh BDI-II

 

2

I expect to be punished

I expect to be punished

  
 

3

I feel I am being punished

I feel I am being punished

  

9.Suicidal thoughts

0

I don’t have any thoughts of killing myself

2Dydw i ddim yn meddwl am ladd fy hun (I am not thinking of killing myself)

Welsh translation reflects stronger suicidal thoughts

Underscoring of item in Welsh BDI-II

 

1

I have thoughts of killing myself but I would not carry them out

3Rydw i wedi meddwl am ladd fy hun ond fyddwn i byth yn gwneud (I have thought of killing myself but I would never do it)

Welsh translation reflects stronger suicidal thoughts

Underscoring of item in Welsh BDI-II

 

2

I would like to kill myself

I would like to kill myself

  
 

3

I would kill myself if I had the chance

I would kill myself if I had the chance

  

15.Loss of energy

0

I have as much energy as ever

I have as much energy as ever

  
 

1

I have less energy than I used to have

I have less energy than I used to have

  
 

2

I don’t have enough energy to do very much

4Does gen i ddim digon o egni i wneud fawr o ddim (I don’t have enough energy to do much of anything)

Welsh translation reflects greater loss of energy

Underscoring of item in Welsh BDI-II

 

3

I don’t have enough energy to do anything

I don’t have enough energy to do anything

  
  1. 1Gallwn’ is a derivative of the auxillary verb ‘gallu’ (may/can/be able to). 2 3The literal translation of ‘thoughts of killing myself’ is ‘meddyliau am ladd fy hun’ but the plural form is not a natural expression in Welsh. Hence the adoption of the singular form ‘meddwl” (thought). 4’Gwneud fawr o ddim’ (lit. do much of anything) is a natural expression in Welsh meaning’do very much’.