Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire in Turkish community-dwelling older adults

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to translate and adapt the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ) for Turkish culture and to evaluate the psychometric properties of FFABQ-Turkish in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

Eighty community-dwelling older adults (41 females) were assessed using the FFABQ-Turkish, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC). Fall history and severity of fear of falling (FoF) were recorded. Forty-two participants were reassessed one week apart for test–retest reliability. Internal consistency, test–retest reliability, sensitivity to change, convergent validity, construct validity, floor and ceiling effect, and scale discrimination of FFABQ-Turkish were investigated.

Results

FFABQ-Turkish has high internal consistency and good test–retest reliability. Overall scores for FFABQ-Turkish were high in females, older individuals ≥ 75 years, and fallers. Minimal detectable change with 95% confidence was 4.51 points. There were strong and moderate correlations between FFABQ-Turkish and ABC, FoF, and the number of falls. Factor analysis demonstrated a two-factor structure. No floor and ceiling effect was found. FFABQ-Turkish could discriminate individuals without avoidance behavior from those with severe avoidance behavior.

Conclusions

FFABQ-Turkish is a valid and reliable measure to assess the activity and participation restriction due to FoF, and could be used to quantify avoidance behavior in Turkish community-dwelling older adults.

Implication for rehabilitation

• The Turkish version of the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ) is a valid and reliable outcome measure for community-dwelling older adults.

• Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire in Turkish is recommended for assessment of activity limitation and participation restrictions due to fear of falling in clinical and research settings.

Keywords:

• Fear of falling avoidance behavior
• activity limitation
• participation
• outcome measures
• psychometric properties
• Turkish

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the district governorship for permission for the study and the English linguistic scientist for back-translation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).