Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of visual aids for translation of the Spasticity Symptom Assessment-Upper Limb (SSA-UL) questionnaire as an additional support tool for linguists. Some items in the SSA-UL concern specific physical positions experienced by stroke patients, due to muscle spasticity. It was theorized that translation would be improved by providing translators with a visual of physical positions, supplementing a textual definition, which may be complex and open to varied interpretations. The SSA-UL was translated into 14 languages. Translators were provided a textual definition and images of the following physical positions: (1) hand clenching, (2) finger clenching, (3)hand curling and (4) finger curling. Back-translations were analyzed for conceptual equivalency with the source text. In addition, each translator (n=28) was given a questionnaire about the effectiveness of the visual aids. Translations of hand clenching and finger clenching were conceptually equivalent to the source 100% of the time. For both hand and finger curling, only French-Canada and Polish-Poland struggled to find an equivalent translation, ultimately achieving a conceptually equivalent translation. German-Germany linguists had initially translated curling and clenching incorrectly, but utilized the images to revise the translation. Nineteen (19) linguists responded to the questionnaire. Fifteen (79%) found the visual aids helpful. For comparison, previous translations of other physical positions translated without visual aids were analyzed with a similar language sample. Bending was translated as conceptually equivalent to the source 83% (10/12) of the time, stooping 58% (7/12) and feet dropping forwards 50% (6/12). Back-translations showed that visual aids added value to the translation process. Linguists surveyed reported that the visual aids assisted them in finding the correct terminology for the physical positions. Moving forward, translation of questionnaires containing items about physical positions may benefit from visual aids.
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