The translation of clinical assessments is a very specialist area, which demands a real understanding of the subject matter in order to achieve a successful result.
In order to ensure the success of translation, localisation and adaptation projects in this area, we believe that the work carried out prior to the start of the project is absolutely vital. Creating and validating a clinical assessment or measure in the original language is an involved process. Translation of the same requires a similar level of involvement.
Comms Multilingual can advise on best-practice processes for translation and validation of clinical assessments.
Amongst others, we have been involved in the translation, localisation and adaptation of tests and assessments for the following:
- Affective disorders
- Alzheimer’s
- Autism
- Cognition in schizophrenia
- Emotional disturbance
- Inferential creative thinking
- Neuropsychological tests
- Oral word association
- Performance-based skills
- Sensory processing
- Social responsiveness
- Specific levels of functioning
- Temperament in children
- Visuospatial memory
- Working memory
Linguistic Validation of Clinical Assessments
We use our unique quality control and preparation methodology prior to the commencement of the translation process itself. The aim with this is to ensure that the translators have accurate and clear information about the meaning of words in order to enable them to interpret and translate a clinical assessment correctly.
Read more about these tailored linguistic validation services, including translatability analyses, forward and back translation, cognitive debriefing and more.
Clinical Assessment Translation Case Study
If you would like to read about our case study about the translation, localisation and adaptation of a battery of tests aimed at testing the levels of cognition in patients with schizophrenia, please click here.
Read Clinical Test Battery Translation Case Study
Clinical Outcome Assessment Translation & Localisation
We understand the need to ensure equivalence between languages in COA translations. Our processes meet the needs of medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers who need to document the validity of their translations.
Very often, a simple translation will not suffice – there are further aspects that require consideration. This is where adaptation and localisation come into play.
As an example of items that need to be adapted and localised, participants are sometimes asked to do calculations involving money to determine cognitive and functional skills. It is necessary to take the following steps to ensure that this is done properly:
- The amount has to be localised into the local currency of the target country.
- The amounts then need to be adapted to ensure that they are meaningful locally. When Italy had the lira as its currency, you couldn’t just take an amount of one US dollar and change it to one lira as this was a nonsensical amount. One lira was never used in Italy as it had practically no value in the latter years of its existence.
- The values also have to be relative. For example, the test may require someone to role-play going into a shop so that they can calculate the change they should be getting after their purchases. If they hand over a 50 dollar bill to purchase a few grocery items, this 50 dollars may represent someone’s monthly salary in other countries, so this calculation would not be meaningful to them.
- In the USA, you have the dollar, quarter, dime, nickel and penny. In many countries in Europe, you have only the euro and the cent. Having five different names for coins and notes makes the calculation more difficult than just having two.
