Translation in Kannada and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale

Objectives Balance confidence is crucial for older adults in performing daily activities. The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, originally developed in English, is a widely recognized tool for assessing balance confidence. In Karnataka, India, Kannada is the most commonly spoken language, highlighting the need for valid and culturally appropriate tools for assessing balance confidence in Kannada-speaking individuals. This study aimed to translate and cross-culturally adapt the ABC scale into Kannada (ABC-K) and evaluate its reliability and validity. Material and Methods The ABC-K was developed through a standard cross-cultural adaptation process involving 50 Kannada-speaking older adults from community settings. Eight items from the original ABC scale were modified. The validity of the ABC-K was assessed by comparing it with the original ABC scale among the participants. Results The ABC-K demonstrated excellent content validity, with a value of 96.3%, compared to 94.4% for the cross-culturally adapted scale. The internal consistency of the ABC-K was also excellent, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.99, compared to 0.97 for the cross-cultural version. Pearson’s correlation between the scales showed a strong relationship ( r = 0.92-0.96, p <0.0001), indicating high reliability and validity. Conclusion The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the ABC scale into Kannada resulted in a reliable and culturally relevant tool for assessing balance confidence in Kannada-speaking older adults. The ABC-K scale is recommended for use by health professionals and researchers working with the Kannada-speaking community.