Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Hindi Version of Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood for Assessing Oral Health-related Quality of Life in Indian Preschool Children.

Background: A specialized tool was originally developed in Brazilian-Portuguese to assess how malocclusion in primary teeth affects the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children and their parents. Aim: To translate the Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC) into Hindi, evaluate its reliability and validity, and determine its usefulness in assessing the impact of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of Indian preschool children and their parents. Methods: The Hindi MIS-EC was adapted using international translation guidelines and administered to 110 preschool children (3-5 years). Reliability was tested through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and test-retest methods, while validity was examined using convergent and discriminant analyses. Results: The Hindi MIS-EC demonstrated good reliability, with an overall Cronbach's α of 0.71 and an ICC of 0.87. Discriminant validity (4.83) was significant, effectively distinguishing between children with and without malocclusion. Convergent validity was also confirmed, as the Hindi MIS-EC showed a significant correlation with the general health status of the child. Conclusion: The Hindi MIS-EC scale is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the effect of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of children aged 3-5 years in India. How to cite this article: Kalra G, Nangia T, Goyal V, et al. Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Hindi Version of Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood for Assessing Oral Health-related Quality of Life in Indian Preschool Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2025;18(10):1283-1287.