Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q) for Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract

This study aimed to perform the cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q) for the Brazilian Portuguese language. The MAC-Q is a brief instrument designed to assess age-related memory decline and metamemory perception, facilitating the early detection of subjective cognitive changes in the elderly. Methods: Following the methodological framework of the COSMIN Taxonomy, a six-stage process was employed: translation (by two independent bilingual translators), synthesis (creation of version T12), back-translation (by two native English speakers), expert committee review (to ensure semantic, idiomatic, and cultural equivalence), pre-testing (n=36), and final validation (n=77). The final sample consisted of participants from extension projects at the University Adventist of Sao Paulo (UNASP). Results: The instrument demonstrated high internal consistency, with a McDonald’s ω of 0.883 (95% CI [0.822, 0.939]) and a Cronbach’s α of 0.862 (95% CI [0.803, 0.917]). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) confirmed an unifactorial structure with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value of 0.838 and item loadings ranging from 0.585 to 0.900. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported the model's robustness with fit indices of CFI=0.927, GFI=0.974, TLI=0.878, and a Chi-square/df ratio of 2.19. Factor loadings in the CFA ranged from 0.646 to 0.894. Conclusion: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the MAC-Q is a reliable and valid tool for geriatric assessment. Its brevity and sensitivity to varied educational backgrounds make it suitable for both clinical practice and research in the Brazilian context.