Translation and cross-cultural adaptation into Spanish of the questionnaire on Occupational Balance in Informal Caregivers for use with parent caregivers

Abstract

Objetive: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the questionnaire on Occupational Balance in Informal Caregivers (OBI-Care) into Spanish for use with parent caregivers. Method: A translation–back translation process was employed, including expert panel discussions and a pilot test. The version used in the pilot test included various question types (open-ended and numerical ratings) to gather participant feedback and evaluations. The research team incorporated changes based on this feedback to create the final version of the questionnaire. Results: The direct translation report compared translations A and B and documented the decisions of the expert panel, resulting in the first version of the adapted questionnaire. Modifications were introduced to enhance comprehension, including changes in the title, explanations, subscale descriptions, and items. The back-translation report showed no differences in meaning between backtranslations A and B. The pilot test included 30 participants (11 informal parent caregivers, seven practicing occupational therapists, and 12 master’s students), who provided various suggestions. Changes were made, such as adding a definition of occupational balance, specifying the questionnaire’s purpose, and using inclusive gender language. These revisions led to the final Spanish adaptation, which retained all items of the original questionnaire. Conclusions: The OBI-Care-E is the Spanish-translated and cross-culturally adapted version of the OBI-Care. This version could be useful for assessing the occupational balance of informal parent caregivers, although its psychometric properties still need to be studied.