A systematic review of studies using translated versions of the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27) to measure public stigma towards people with schizophrenia

Background and Objectives: The Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27) is a widely used measure of public mental illness stigma. The AQ-27 was originally developed in the USA in the English language. Since its inception in 2003, several translations of the measure have been produced. This is the first review to explore the use of translated versions of the AQ-27 to measure stigma towards people with schizophrenia.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted. MEDLINE, PsycInfo and Web of Science were systematically searched between 2003 and 2024. The COSMIN Study Design Checklist was adapted to appraise the quality of the translation processes. Data were extracted relating to measurement properties (reliability and validity) of the translated measures.
Results: Forty-one studies were identified, spanning fifteen countries and eleven languages. Most studies (n=26, 63.4%) were located in Europe. Twelve original translations of the AQ-27 were identified, of which, four studies were primarily focused on translation and validation of the measure. The Turkish, Italian and Arabic translations were rated highest for methodological quality of the translation process.
Conclusions: Researchers should consider the quality of the methodology used to develop existing translated versions of the AQ-27 before adopting them, as this may have implications for the validity and equivalence of the measure within the target culture. Translation frameworks are available to support the high-quality translation and cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures.