Page 48 - A Step-By-Step Guide to Questionnaire Validation Research

example, SF-36 has been validated in many different

languages and the results are made directly comparable

between different ethnic groups and countries (Fukuhara

et. al., 2003). This is only possible because the original

version of the questionnaire had been retained when it

had been translated into many different languages. This is

very important because if the original SF-36 questionnaire

were not used for the translation process, which means

that a different version of the same questionnaire had

been used for the translation; then it would not be

possible to ensure that the responses elicited by the

original questionnaire are made directly comparable with

those of its translated version (in all the other languages).

The following example provides an excellent

illustration of how the content validity of a questionnaire

should be assessed.