Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of Kannada version of Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire in chronic low back pain

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Activity of daily living (ADL) among the people with Chronic low back pain (CLBP)  can be determined by Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ). The Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) is a valid and reliable self-reporting questionnaire evaluating the patient’s attitude and beliefs toward the effect of physical activity and works on their LBP. Till the date it was translated into various languages but is not available in Kannada language.Hence, we aimed to translate FABQ questionnaire into Kannada (FABQ-KA) and to study reliability and validity of Kannada version, FABQ-KA. METHODS: Translation and cross-culture adaptation were performed according to the guidelines followed internationally. Those are: translation, synthesis, back-translation, revision by expert committee, pretesting and appraisal by advisory committee. Content validation was excuted by the panel of 10 pre-identified members who were experts in using Kannada and English. They were provided with five options, “agree”, “strongly agree”, “neutral”, “disagree” and “strongly disagree”. for providing their valuable opinion regarding kannada translated content of FABQ-KA. The psychometric properties were tested by administering the questionnaire to 60 samples (18 to 75 years) was recruited by Purposive sampling. For test-retest reliability, people with CLBP were tested after a week by Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha (?). RESULTS: The demographic dimensions, age, height, weight and BMI for patients with CLBP recruited, n=60 were 41.50±10.59 (Years), 154.37±10.74 (cm), 62±11.04 (kg) and 25.99±4.47 (kg/m²) respectively with duration of LBP of 20.35±13.62 weeks. The content validity of kannada translated FABQ-KA by a panel of 10 experts were found to be, I-CVI of individual items of FABQ-KA ? 0.80 and the overall S-CVI for idiomatic equivalence (S-CVI =89.9±6.33)%,, semantic equivalence (S-CVI =93±5.16)% and content relevance(S-CVI=90.7±6.61)%.were ? 0.90 or (? 90%). The test-retest reliability of FABQ-KA was good (ICC _(2,1) = 0.83). Internal consistency was found to be good (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: The FABQ-KA translation and adaptation processes were successful; the adapted instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties. The FABQ-KA has proven to be reliable and valid tool and can be used in the Kannada speaking patients with CLBP.