Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and measurement properties of the Traditional Chinese version of the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire in Taiwanese community-dwelling adults.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to translate the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ) into Traditional Chinese (FFABQ-TC) and to evaluate the psychometric properties of FFABQ-TC in Taiwanese adults. METHODS: We translated and culturally adapted the FFABQ into Traditional Chinese, ensuring linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance. A total of 230 Taiwanese community-dwelling adults participated in the study. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 30 participants, while 200 participants were included in the validity analysis. Known-groups validity was investigated by comparing the FFABQ-TC scores between fallers and non-fallers. Convergent validity was examined by correlating FFABQ-TC scores with Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), Geriatric Fear of Falling Measure (GFFM), and Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) test. RESULTS: The FFABQ-TC demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.884) and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.930). Known-groups analysis revealed that FFABQ-TC significantly differentiated between fallers and non-fallers. Convergent validity was examined and showed significant correlations of FFABQ-TC with the ABC, the GFFM, and TUG. CONCLUSION: The psychometric properties of FFABQ-TC was established in Taiwanese adults for assessing FOF-related avoidance behaviors. The translated and adapted FFABQ-TC is a reliable and valid clinical tool for evaluating fall risk in this population.

The current evidence supports the reliability and validity of the Traditional Chinese version of the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ-TC) in Taiwanese community-dwelling adults.FFABQ-TC is recommended as a reliable measurement to determine fall risk in clinical and research settings.