Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Validity and Reliability of the Arabic Version of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I)

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of an Arabic language version (Ar) of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) with respect to its use with Arabic-speaking elderly subjects. SUBJECTS AND METHODS For cross-cultural adaptation, the translation of the original English version of the scale was conducted based on the protocol of the Prevention of Falls Network Europe (ProFaNE). The FES-I (Ar) was administered via face-to-face interviews to 108 community-dwelling elderly Palestinians (61 women and 47 men, aged 60-84 years). Statistical analyses were used to determine group differences with respect to age, gender and fall history. To assess validity, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to examine the correlation between the total scores of FES-I (Ar) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, gait speed and balance. Test-retest reliability between the two test occasions was assessed in accordance with Svensson's method. RESULTS The FES-I (Ar) total scores were positively correlated with TUG (r(s) = 0.641, p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with gait speed (r(s) = -0.670, p < 0.001) and balance (r(s) = -0.592, p < 0.001). All items of the FES-I (Ar) indicated a high percentage agreement (from 88 to 93%), and the relative position ranged from 0.01 to 0.06. CONCLUSION In this study, the FES-I (Ar) was shown to be a comprehensible, valid and reliable measure of the concern about falling among community-dwelling elderly subjects. In clinical practice and future research, the FES-I (Ar) instrument could be used to effectively assess concern about falling in Arabic-speaking elderly persons.