Test Adaptations
Adaptations refer to the process of translating and adjusting an instrument to a new cultural context, which usually goes beyond close translations and involves various changes to the instrument in order to increase its cultural and linguistic adequacy. A brief historical overview of approaches is presented that have been used in the past 75 years, illustrating how the traditional emphasis on linguistic aspects has shifted to multidisciplinary efforts; modern test adaptations are often made by teams. A taxonomy of adaptations is then presented, distinguishing between conceptual, cultural, linguistic, and measurement reasons for adjusting an instrument. A good adaptation integrates these four types. Various guidelines for adapting instruments are described, such as the ITC Guidelines. The authors conclude that test adaptations have largely replaced the concept of test translations and that test adaptations can be used in large-scale surveys and can accommodate instruments that cover both general (universal) and local components.