scholarly journals Translation of measurement instruments and their reliability

2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nino Rode
Keyword(s):  
Item Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Measurement Instruments ◽  
Linguistic Differences ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Back Translation ◽  
Translation Procedure

The translation of measurement instruments, like all cross-cultural research, presents many problems for researchers. Because of cultural and linguistic differences, the questions or items can have quite different meaning in the translated instruments, thus threatening the validity and reliability of measurement. These problems are (or should be) addressed by translation back-translation procedure. To illustrate the problems, the case of Job-related Affective Well-Being Scale is presented. The scale was translated from English to Slovene and applied directly in the research without backtranslation or other form of testing the translation. The Cronbach's alpha is used to compare reliability of the results obtained with original (English) version reported by authors of the scale and with the translated (Slovene) version. In the item analysis some items have been singled out as problematic by item diagnostics. Especially the item »excited«, translated as »vznemirjen«, is discussed, since it is possible that backtranslation procedure could fail to detect the problem. At the end some tentative solutions are suggested.

Can Happiness be Created in Rituals?

Paragrana ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Kellermann
Keyword(s):  
Family Members ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Impact ◽  
New Family ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Family Constellation ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
Cross Cultural Research

Abstract This article refers to an ethnographical study within the framework of a cross-cultural research project in Germany and Japan. It focuses on the ritual staging and performing of family happiness within two countries: Christmas in Germany and oshogatsu, the turn of the year, in Japan. Happiness is hereby conceived as a particular form of well-being that is (intended) to be evoked during the yearly reunion of the family. Through ritual practice, the family members (re)confirm their family bonds and create their specific idea of family happiness. In the German family outlined below, Christmas Day in Germany happens to be the first Christmas Celebration in the new family constellation for everyone, and the family members are about to perform their future life plan. In Japan, oshogatsu relies on experiences and memories within the particular family constellation which allow an emotional proximity between four generations. The analytical approach reveals the social cultural impact on emotions and their performative and amplifying potential in rituals

scholarly journals Translation Quality Assessment in Health Research: A Functionalist Alternative to Back-Translation

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Colina ◽  
Nicole Marrone ◽  
Maia Ingram ◽  
Daisey Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Translation Quality ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Back Translation

As international research studies become more commonplace, the importance of developing multilingual research instruments continues to increase and with it that of translated materials. It is therefore not unexpected that assessing the quality of translated materials (e.g., research instruments, questionnaires, etc.) has become essential to cross-cultural research, given that the reliability and validity of the research findings crucially depend on the translated instruments. In some fields (e.g., public health and medicine), the quality of translated instruments can also impact the effectiveness and success of interventions and public campaigns. Back-translation (BT) is a commonly used quality assessment tool in cross-cultural research. This quality assurance technique consists of (a) translation (target text [TT1]) of the source text (ST), (b) translation (TT2) of TT1 back into the source language, and (c) comparison of TT2 with ST to make sure there are no discrepancies. The accuracy of the BT with respect to the source is supposed to reflect equivalence/accuracy of the TT. This article shows how the use of BT as a translation quality assessment method can have a detrimental effect on a research study and proposes alternatives to BT. One alternative is illustrated on the basis of the translation and quality assessment methods used in a research study on hearing loss carried out in a border community in the southwest of the United States.

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