Development of the Readiness to Change Diet Questionnaire (RCdQ) for Assessing Willingness to Adopt Anti-Inflammatory Diet Among Coronary Artery Disease Patients

This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire to assess readiness to change for adopting an anti-inflammatory diet among patients with coronary artery disease. The Readiness to Change Questionnaire–Treatment Version (RCQ-TV) was adapted for dietary behavior, translated into Hindi, and evaluated using an e-Delphi approach for face validation. The study was conducted in the National Capital Region, India. Domain experts ( n = 6) assessed the clarity, content, and structure of the adapted questionnaire across iterative rounds, and consensus-driven revisions were made. The validated tool was subsequently pilot tested among 25 participants. Scores for each stage of change were calculated using an established scoring template, with the highest scale score indicating stage of readiness. Open-ended expert feedback from each iteration was summarized to inform revisions, and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Modifications included simplification of terminology, revision of instructions and specific items, addition of definitions, and simplification of the Hindi version. Pilot testing classified two participants in the pre-contemplation stage, 10 in contemplation, and 13 in the action stage. The questionnaire demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .73). Participants reported the tool to be concise, with instructions, definitions, items, and response options understandable, relevant, and appropriate, although 10 participants required assistance to complete it. Overall, the adapted questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory face validity, internal consistency, and usability in both English and Hindi, suggesting wide applicability for assessing readiness to change dietary behavior in populations.