Test-retest reliability and determinants of the Self Evaluation of Breathing Questionnaire (SEBQ): A measure of dysfunctional breathing

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dysfunctional breathing (DB) is characterised by an abnormal breathing pattern leading to respiratory symptoms. However, DB is not currently well defined and has no criterion measure. The Self Evaluation of Breathing Questionnaire (SEBQ) has been recently developed to measure DB symptoms and their severity but lacks thorough evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the test-retest reliability and to identify lifestyle or demographic predictors of SEBQ score.

METHOD: A heterogeneous sample of participants (n=180) completed the SEBQ and lifestyle and demographic questions. Two weeks later, 156 participants completed the SEBQ and lifestyle questions again.

RESULTS: Test-retest correlation of the SEBQ was high (ICC=0.88; 95% CI 0.84 to 0.91). There was no difference in SEBQ score between test and retest (15.4 ± 11.6 versus 14.7 ± 12.4; CI for difference -0.6 to 1.2; P = 0.53) and had a standard error of measurement of 4.1. Variables found to be independently related to SEBQ score in a regression analysis included smoking status (P = 0.005), reported respiratory disease (P ≤ 0.001) and recent respiratory illness (P = 0.04). Multiple regression models included these three variables and female gender as predictors of SEBQ score which together explained 25.6% of variability in SEBQ scores (P ≤ 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The SEBQ has high test-retest reliability. SEBQ scores may be predicted by current smoking, chronic respiratory disease, recent respiratory illness and female gender. Further studies to further validate the SEBQ are required. If shown to be valid, the SEBQ could be a useful clinical screening tool for early detection of DB.