The music-related quality of life: Italian validation of MuRQoL into MUSQUAV questionnaire and preliminary data from a cohort of postlingually deafened cochlear implant users

Abstract

Purpose: Cochlear implant (CI) users do not receive much of the auditory information necessary for an accurate perception of music. This usually entails a dissatisfaction with the music they hear, so that their quality of life may potentially be affected. The main aim of this paper was to translate and validate into Italian an instrument to evaluate these aspects—The Music-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (MuRQoL)—to help the work of clinicians and therapists. Methods: The translation of the MuRQoL into “Questionario Musica e Qualità della Vita” (MUSQUAV) was done according to the international guidelines. The translated questionnaire was administered to normal hearing (NH) and CI users adults. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and known group method were used to confirm construct validity and applicability of MUSQUAV. Results: We retrieved 225 results. The MUSQUAV questionnaire was acceptable according to the goodness-of-fit indices. The correlation between the items, evaluated using Cronbach’s α coefficient, indicates a good internal consistency (> 0.80). The non-parametric Mann–Whitney test showed significant differences in the distinct populations tested. Conclusions: The MUSQUAV questionnaire is a valid, low-cost and rapid instrument for professional workers in the audiological field, especially useful in the assessment of the patients' perception and musical engagement.