Validation of an Arabic Translation of the Functioning Everyday with a Wheelchair Self-Report Tool: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: The Functioning Everyday with a Wheelchair (FEW) tool is a self-report questionnaire developed to measure consumers’ perceptions of how the features of their wheeled mobility and seating device support their ability to carry out their daily functions and routines independently, safely, and efficiently.

Method: A committee of three bilingual qualified occupational therapists translated the English version into Arabic, which was verified by back translation. The final versions were administered with 26 bilingual English-Arabic speakers. The subjects were randomly assigned to answer either the English or Arabic version of the FEW questionnaire first, followed by answering the FEW questionnaire in the other language. The scores obtained were tested for agreement using the kappa statistic.

Results: We found significant substantial agreement between the scores obtained from the two versions (p < 0.000). The kappa measurement of agreement was 0.755 (95% confidence interval, 0.59–0.92)

Conclusion: The Arabic translation of the FEW self-report tool was generated for potential use in research and clinical practice and could be useful to wheelchair professionals who would like to use this tool for Arabic-speaking wheelchair users. Further validation of the developed Arabic version is recommended.