Validation of the Russian-language version of the Self-Awareness Deficit Interview (SADI)

Thorough and early assessment of self-awareness deficits after brain injury is an important problem in neurorehabilitation that requires the development of both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess different levels of self-awareness to increase the efficacy of rehabilitation. Although there is no consensus on the determination and measurement of self-awareness impairment, several quantitative assessment methods have been developed in international practice. The Self-Awareness of Deficits Interview (SADI) technique is one of the most used structured interviews to assess self-awareness impairment in neurological patients. Objective : to conduct validation study and to develop the official Russian-language version of SADI. Material and methods . The study comprised two stages: in the first stage (n=17), a direct and reverse translation of the methodology was performed, followed by a pilot test; in the second stage (n=31), the reliability of the inter-rater and test-retest reliability, and the internal consistency of the methodology were evaluated. Three neuropsychological experts and two students took part in the evaluation of the results. Interviews were conducted with patients who were hospitalized to the Research Center of Neurology and N.I. Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center of Ministry of Health of Russia. Inclusion criteria: verified neurological diagnosis, no pronounced speech disorders, Russian language fluency. Results . The study resulted in the cross-cultural SADI adaptation, leading to the development of the SADI-RU, the Russian-language version, including a scoring guide and a list of questions for patient's relatives. Pilot tests showed the suitability of the SADI-RU for clinical practice. An analysis of the psychometric indicators of the tool showed a “good” level of inter-rater consistency (ICC=0.81), high test-retest reliability (r=0.92) and internal consistency (α=0.77). Conclusion . The results of the study have shown that the developed SADI-RU is a reliable tool for assessing the self-awareness deficits, which is suitable for clinical practice and scientific research in neurological patients.