Article

PURPOSE: To develop a French Canadian version of the Falls Behavioral (FaB) Scale
and examine its psychometric properties. METHODS:
The FaB was adapted in French
Canadian (FaB-FC) and validated according to standard guidelines for
cross-cultural adaptation of questionnaires. The internal consistency and
construct validity of the FaB-FC were studied among 64 community-dwelling adults
aged 60 and over. The concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of the
FaB-FC were respectively examined among subsamples including 31 bilingual and 33
unilingual participants. RESULTS: The FaB-FC showed good concurrent validity with
the original FaB (ICC2 = 0.94; 0.87-0.97), as well as good test-retest
reliability (ICC2 = 0.94; 0.88-0.97). The FaB-FC also demonstrated high internal
consistency (alpha = 0.91). Moreover, analyses showed significant associations of
the FaB-FC scores with fear of falling and balance confidence scores, attesting
to its construct validity. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that the
FaB-FC has sound psychometric properties. Since falls are associated with
multiple risk factors, including behavioral factors, the FaB-FC is undoubtedly a
relevant assessment tool for clinicians and researchers working toward fall
prevention among French-speaking community-dwelling seniors.
Fall-related behaviors should be addressed in the assessment of
community-dwelling seniors' fall risks. Like the original FaB, the French
Canadian version of the tool (FaB-FC) is valid and reliable for assessing
fall-related behaviors. The FaB-FC is a relevant complementary assessment tool
for identifying seniors at risk for falls. The FaB-FC could also be useful in
guiding fall prevention interventions and measuring the impact of these
interventions on seniors' behaviors.

Langue : ANGLAIS