Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of a Turkish version of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Specific Quality of Life-Short Form.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Specific Quality of Life Instrument Short Form (ALSSQOL-SF), a quality-of-life scale originally developed by Simons et al., for Turkish Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients.

Methods

Using a rigorous six-step translation process, the scale was adapted without altering any items to maintain linguistic and cultural equivalence. The study included 100 patients diagnosed with ALS, aged 18 years and older, and native Turkish speakers.

Results

Psychometric evaluations revealed strong content validity (CVI: 100%) and high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.86 for the overall scale, 0.74-0.95 for subscales). Item-total correlation coefficients, except for three items, exceeded 0.20, and removing these items did not improve the scale's reliability, preserving the scale's integrity. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations with the Short Form 12 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-12) and ALS Functional Rating Scale Revised (ALSFRS-R), confirming the scale's ability to assess physical and mental health in ALS patients. Exploratory factor analysis showed a 6-factor structure consistent with the original structure.

Conclusion

Turkish version of ALSSQOL-SF (ALSSQOL-SF-Tr) is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the quality of life in Turkish ALS patients. Its application in clinical and research settings can help evaluate patient needs and improve disease management.