The French version of the multiple sclerosis questionnaire for physiotherapist (MSQPT), a reliable and valid method for the evaluation of the treatment of persons with multiple sclerosis

Background/objectives The Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire for Physiotherapists (MSQPT) is a German disease-specific self-rating questionnaire that is reliable and valid. The present study's objective is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the French translation of the MSQPT. Method The German MSQPT was translated using the same procedure in translating the SF-36 into the different languages. The quality of the translation, the reliability and validity of the French version and the acceptance of the assessment by the physiotherapists were evaluated. A multicenter intervention (pretest n  = 5, validation n  = 31, test retest n  = 16) included the MSQPT, SF-36 and self-administered EDSS. Finally, the treating physiotherapists filled out a questionnaire to estimate the acceptance of the MSQPT. Results The rating of clearness, everyday speech and conformity of concept of the final translation was high for most items. The final French MSQPT did not show any further problems in the pretest. The validation survey denoted few missing data (MSQPT 0.64%, test-retest 0.09%, SF-36 0.77%). The criterion validity between the MSQPT and the SF-36 was high (activity r  = 0.85, participation associated factors compared with social functions, vitality and well-being r  = 0.47–0.74, pain r  = 0.64). The French MSQPT had an internal consistency of 0.84 (Crohnbach α). The two main groups had an internal consistency of 0.82 and 0.87. The reliability was high to very high for many items, the activity group ( r  = 0.93) and the total score ( r  = 0.95). The participation group had a lower reliability score ( r  = 0.66). The acceptance of the MSQPT by the treating physiotherapists was high. The physiotherapists rated the MSQPT among other things as simple, comprehensible, efficient, not time-consuming and very useful. Conclusion The French MSQPT is a well-translated questionnaire with high quality and with psychometric properties comparable to the original German version. The results suggest that the French MSQPT can be used in the evaluation of the physiotherapeutic treatment of persons with MS.