Brazilian-Portuguese translation and cross cultural adaptation of the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale

Abstract

| Background: The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale was developed to quantify the selfperceived level of confidence in performing specific activities without losing balance or becoming unsteady. The ABC scale has been adopted in clinical practice and in research, although cross-cultural differences may impose difficulties in its use. Objective: To translate, cross-culturally adapt and verify the intra-and inter-rater reliability of the BrazilianPortuguese version of the ABC scale and describe the self-perceived balance confidence of elderly Brazilian people. Method: The ABC scale was translated and culturally adapted. To verify the intra-and inter-rater reliability, 40 elderly individuals with ages ranging from 60 to 88 years were interviewed. The scale was administered by two raters on the same day and readministered after seven days by rater 1. To test the reliability, we used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Six items from the ABC scale were considered culturally, semantically or regionally inappropriate and were modified. The intra-rater reproducibility was excellent (ICC=0.94), and the inter-rater reproducibility was very good (ICC=0.80). The self-perception of balance in specific activities of the elderly was considered very good, with an average of 81.7 and scores ranging from 61.2 to 96.7. Conclusion: The ABC scale was translated and culturally adapted for the Brazilian population and presents good intra-and inter-rater reliability. The self-perceived balance confidence in elderly Brazilian people evaluated with the ABC scale is moderate.Keywords: physical therapy; reproducibility; balance; fear; elderly. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLEMarques AP, Mendes YC, Taddei U, Pereira CAB, Assumpção A. Brazilian-Portuguese translation and cross cultural adaptation of the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale. Braz J Phys Ther.

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“…Self-efficacy was assessed with the ABC Scale 29 . It has a 16-item questionnaire that measures functional activities (such as reaching objects placed at the level of the eyes).…”

Activities-specific balance confidence scale for predicting future falls in Indian older adults

“…Recently, the ABC scale was adapted into various languages and cultures 21,22. Good intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were reported for the Brazilian-Portuguese adaptation and translation of the ABC scale for the Brazilian population 21. Similarly, the Chinese Mandarin adaptation of the ABC scale was found to be reliable and valid for the evaluation of balance confidence in the elderly population in mainland China 22.…”

“…Recently, the ABC scale was adapted into various languages and cultures 21,22. Good intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were reported for the Brazilian-Portuguese adaptation and translation of the ABC scale for the Brazilian population 21.…”

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“…Those subjects recruited via mail were prescreened for inclusion in the study prior to mail contact and subsequently contacted via telephone to confirm that they were interested in participating in the study and that they met all inclusion criteria. At this time, interested subjects also completed a demographics questionnaire and the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) [13]. Subjects were sent a StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM, Orthocare Innovations; Mount Lake, Washington) via regular postal service with text and pictorial instructions regarding the proper method for attaching the device to the prosthetic leg as well as a self-addressed stamped envelope in which to return the SAM after wearing it for 7 consecutive d. In spite of these measures, two subjects attached the SAM upside down, which yielded no useful data.…”

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