Page 15 - A Step-By-Step Guide to Questionnaire Validation Research

questionnaire is subjected to a proper initial translation

and subsequent validation process.

It is commonly understood that the validation of a

translated questionnaire is a scientific process which

involves a translation of a questionnaire from a foreign

language into a local (or native) language (i.e. intended for

the local population) and will then be followed by

demonstrating that the translated questionnaire has an

adequate level of both reliability and validity by

administering it to a representative sample of the local (or

native) population. Therefore, it is not scientifically valid

to simply administer the translated version of a

questionnaire to the local (or native) respondents because

both its validity and reliability have not yet been

established. Hence, such a practise should be condoned

and therefore must be discouraged.