Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Family Hardiness Index for the Brazilian Population

Abstract: Despite the importance of family hardiness for the adaptation of families to adverse situations, there are gaps in the Brazilian literature regarding this construct. The objective of this study was to carry out the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Family Hardiness Index (FHI) for the Brazilian population. The process was developed in two phases: (1) cross-cultural adaptation, conducted in five stages - translation, synthesis, back translation, expert analysis and pre-testing; and (2) validation with 210 caregivers (mothers, fathers, and grandmothers) of children with disabilities. An Item Comprehension Assessment Questionnaire was also administered. The FHI demonstrated good semantic and cultural agreement, with a Kappa coefficient of 80%. Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that the model with two factors (Commitment/Challenge and Confidence/Control) and 11 items was the most appropriate. This study presents indicators of the validity of the FHI for the Brazilian context.