Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Neck Dissection Assessment Tool to Spanish Language

Abstract

Introduction

Training in Head and Neck surgery represents a complex process always in evolution. Due to the absence of specific surgical evaluation tools to assess neck dissection performance by residents during training, finding a proper way to evaluate those standards will be a matter of debate for decades, and continues to be a pending task in the field.

Objective

Validation and cross-cultural adaptation of the TSCND questionnaire to the Spanish language.

Methods

A prospective data collection, about the performance of Spanish TSCND measured with Cronbach α.

Results

Internal consistency of the task-specific checklist section measured was 0.752 (95% CI = 0.638 to 0.839) with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.749 (95% CI = 0.651–0.837). Internal consistency of the global rating scale section measured with Cronbach α was 0.788 (95% CI = 0.681 to 0.865) with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.789 (95% CI = 0.703–0.857).

Conclusion

The development of specific tools to support surgical training education makes it possible to improve surgical skills evaluation. The Spanish translation of the TSCND is a reliable option for Spanish-Speaking surgical training and trainers in the development of an up-to-date competency-based curriculum.

Keywords

assessment - competency - neck dissection - resident - translation - head neck - otolaryngology

Authors' Contributions

CMCE: conceptualization, formal analysis, drafting; MMY: data curation; JRL: data curation; JASS: investigation; JAGG: supervision; EL: investigation; LRR: writing, review, editing; TA: conceptualization, drafting.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the authors upon reasonable request.

Publication History

Received: 02 November 2023

Accepted: 20 June 2025

Article published online:
09 October 2025

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