Adaptación transcultural de la versión española de la escala Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) en población pediátrica chilena

Introduction: More than half of pediatric patients experience preoperative anxiety, with symptoms such as irritability, tension, combative behavior, and separation anxiety. It is essential to evaluate interventions aimed at reducing it. The Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) has been widely used for this purpose and has already been translated and validated into Spanish.Objectives: This study aimed to adapt the Spanish version of the m-YPAS scale to the Chilean context, adjusting it as a reliable tool for measuring preoperative anxiety in Chilean pediatric patients. Materials and Methods: The adaptation of the scale to the Chilean context was carried out with input from five experts from different fields. An instructional guide was created, and the scale was adapted and then applied to pediatric patients in a hospital in the Valparaíso region by healthcare professionals, who later completed a survey regarding its use. Results: Of 17 responses, most considered the instructional guide clear and easy to understand (4.76 ± 0.56 points [mean ± SD] on a Likert scale [1-5]), the options easy to differentiate (4.47 ± 1.01), and the measurement consistent (4.71 ± 0.59). Internal consistency analysis showed an ordinal alpha of 0.88, indicating good coherence. Discussion and Conclusions: The Chilean adaptation of the m-YPAS scale demonstrated good consistency and reliability. An innovative instructional guide was developed, rated as clear and useful, which could speed up staff training and facilitate its application in pediatric populations.