Cross-cultural adaptation and content validity of the PGSI into Brazilian Portuguese

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) into Brazilian Portuguese and to conduct a preliminary assessment of its content and face validity. METHODS: The adaptation process followed internationally recognized guidelines and included several stages: initial translation, translation synthesis, back-translation, review by a committee of experts, evaluation by an expert panel of 11 specialists, pre-test with participants from the general population, and final revision. The Content Validity Index (CVI), Clarity Index (CI), and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) were calculated based on the experts’ evaluations. As a first step, establishing semantic and content validity is essential before broader psychometric testing can be meaningfully conducted in the target population. RESULTS: The adapted PGSI demonstrated strong content validity, with all items reaching a CVI of 0.90 or higher and an overall mean of 0.98. The CI ranged from 2.63 to 2.90, and the CVR indicated high agreement regarding the essentiality of the items. Face validity testing with 33 participants from the general population revealed that all items were rated as understandable or entirely understandable by most participants (84.9% to 100%). Expert feedback was also used to refine the wording of items, particularly to distinguish between “gaming” and “gambling” in the Brazilian context. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the PGSI presented robust preliminary evidence of semantic, conceptual, and cultural adequacy. This version fills a critical methodological gap and provides a culturally appropriate screening and monitoring tool for use in clinical and research settings in Brazil, supporting prevention and public health monitoring of gambling-related harms, including financial impacts. Future studies will evaluate additional psychometric properties further to consolidate its use in clinical and epidemiological contexts.