INTRODUCTION: The aim of the Impact of Event Scale (IES) is to evaluate subjective distress associated with life events. The instrument is not focused on a specific situation, but rather on the particular characteristics of such events. OBJECTIVE: To describe the translation and semantic adaptation of the IES into Brazilian Portuguese. METHODS: The process consisted of translations and back-translations performed by four independent examiners without prior knowledge of the original scale. The synthetic version was developed by a mental health specialist with proficiency in both languages. Subsequently, the adapted scale was applied in an experimental group for evaluation. The new/adapted version was revised and approved by the author of the original instrument. RESULTS: We describe all study phases, including translations, back-translations, and the development of the synthetic version, for each of the 15 items contained in the original instrument. The mental health specialist assisted in adapting the terms employed taking into consideration the construct under investigation in each case. The experimental application allowed to identify potential difficulties in the understanding of specific items and to subsequently adjust these items. Fifteen items were developed in Brazilian Portuguese for this version of the scale. CONCLUSIONS: The methodology employed in the present study allowed us to conduct the cross-cultural adaptation of the IES scale into Brazilian Portuguese.
Psychometrics; scales; post-traumatic stress disorder; traumatic stress disorder; psychological stress; crisis intervention
