Foot and ankle ability measure to measure functional limitations in patients with foot and ankle disorders: a Chinese cross-cultural adaptation and validation

Abstract

Purpose: To perform a cultural adaptation and validation study (internal and external) of the FAAM questionnaire to create the Chinese version of the questionnaire (FAAM-Ch).

Materials and methods: Two independent professional native translators performed a translation from English to Chinese and reverse translation. Psychometric properties analysis: Internal consistency of measure was analysed through the Cronbach’s α coefficients. After extraction by maximum likelihood (EML), the structure factor and construct validity was analysed; to extract a factor, it was necessary to complete the following three requirements: ≥10% of variance, Eigenvalue >1.0 and scree plot inflection point. Standard error measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change 90 (MDC90) were calculated. FFI-Taiwan version, SF12v2, and EuroQol5D were used for criterion validity analysis.

Results: The internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) for specific FAAM-Ch subscales was 0.879 (ADL) and 0.901 (Sport); test–retest analysis (interclass correlation) item ranging between 0.758 and 0.970 (ADL: 0758–0946; Sport: 0.911–0.970). Measures error: 3.449% (MDC90) and 1.478% (SEM). Chi-squared value =15228.74 and gl 406) (p < 0.001) and the Kaiser–Meyer–Oklin values (0.919). The correlation level with the FFI is strong, with SF12v2 is between poor and strong and with EuroQoL5d is between moderate and strong

Conclusions: FAAM-Chinese version has satisfactory “transversal” psychometric properties, facilitating the inclusion of FAAM-Chinese into research and clinical practice.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Cross-cultural adaptation of the FAAM-Ch has been performed from the original version.

• The psychometric properties of the FAAM-Ch indicate satisfactory and consistent results (particularly in the internal consistence, reliability and criterion validity) with the original version.

• FAAM-Ch can be used by Chinese speaking clinicians and researches.

Keywords:

• Foot
• ankle
• Patient Outcome Reported Measures
• assessment
• Chinese version
• validation

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Miss YaLin Chen, for her fundamental help in collecting data.

The authors would like to thank all who took part in the intervention and enabled the study to take place.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.