Publication: Validation of the arabic version of soho-5 and its use to assess oral impact on quality of life in 5-year-old children
Loading...
Date
2025-10
Authors
Alhammadi, Fatema Khalfan Mohamed Ibrahim
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Poor oral health can significantly impair young children’s daily functioning, affecting eating, speaking, playing, and self-esteem. Consequently, measuring oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in preschoolers is essential to understand and address these impacts. The study objectives were to (1) translate the original English version of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5) into Arabic, and validate the Arabic version (A-SOHO-5), and (2) assess the impact of dental conditions on the OHRQoL of Arabic-speaking preschoolers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study was conducted in two stages. Stage I involved cross-cultural adaptation (CCA) and psychometric assessment of A-SOHO-5. The translation process adopted and modified the guideline of Beaton, and pre-testing was conducted among 32 child-parent pairs. A separate sample of 157 child-parent pairs was recruited from government preschools for the psychometric assessment. Children participated in structured Arabic interviews, while parents completed self-administered questionnaires. Clinical dental examinations were conducted following WHO criteria. Psychometric evaluation included internal consistency, test–retest reliability (n=30), and validity testing (discriminant, convergent, and construct). Stage II was cross-sectional study assessed the association between oral health conditions and OHRQoL using a cluster sample of 372 child-parent pairs from one government and five private schools in Sharjah and Ajman. Clinical examinations and structured interviews/questionnaires were conducted as in Stage I. Results demonstrated strong internal consistency for the parent version (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89) and moderate for the child version (α = 0.68). Test–retest reliability was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.97 for child, 0.98 for parent; ICC range: 0.77–1.00). Discriminant validity was confirmed by significantly higher A-SOHO-5 mean scores in caries-experienced children (child 1.72; parent 2.38) than in caries-free peers (child 0.02; parent 0.39). Convergent validity was demonstrated by a strong correlation between A-SOHO-5 (parent version) and A-ECOHIS functional scores (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). Construct validity confirmed using A-SOHO-5 and global rating questions. A moderate correlation between child and parent A-SOHO-5 scores (r = 0.42, p < 0.001) supported the agreement. Children with dental caries had significantly poorer OHRQoL. Multivariable regression identified clinical status, parental education, and school type as significant predictors of impaired OHRQoL (p < 0.05). The findings confirm that the A-SOHO-5 is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing OHRQoL in Arabic-speaking preschoolers. This study highlights the substantial impact of oral conditions on children's well-being and emphasises the importance of targeted preventive strategies across diverse populations in the UAE
Description
Keywords
-