Hindi Translation, Validation and Testretest Reliability of The Fugl Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity Scale: A Cross-sectional Study Protocol

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke, a global health concern, causes substantial mortality and disability. The Fugl Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) scale evaluates sensorimotor impairment in stroke patients. Despite Hindi’s widespread use, with over 609 million speakers worldwide, the scale lacks a Hindi version. Bridging this gap could significantly enhance stroke rehabilitation outcomes. Aim: This study aims to translate the FMA-UE scale into Hindi, validate the translated version, and determine its test-retest reliability in Hindispeaking stroke patients. Materials and Methods: Permission from the author is required before meticulously translating the FMA-UE scale into Hindi by bilingual experts. This process will involve, combining perspectives from a medical expert and a linguistic specialist. Merged translations will be back-translated into English for accuracy. Content validation via the Delphi method by an expert panel will ensure linguistic equivalence. Pretesting will gauge comprehensibility and appropriateness. Test-retest reliability will be determined through correlation coefficient calculations on patients, assessed twice with an interval. Results: Study anticipates successful translation of FMA-UE scale into Hindi with robust linguistic translation. Delphi method will be used for item assessment, calculating Item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI). Scale-level Content Validity Index Average (S-CVI/Ave) ensures unanimity. Test-retest reliability evaluated through ICCs and Bland-Altman plots, illustrating mean scores and standard deviations across sessions, with ICC values indicating reliability and Bland-Altman plots confirming score agreement visually. Conclusion: The Hindi FMA-UE scale will aid assessment in Hindispeaking stroke populations. This protocol ensures linguistic adequacy, enhancing clinical assessment and rehabilitation strategies.