Brazilian transcultural adaptation of an instrument on communicative strategies of caregivers of elderly with dementia

• Main Authors: Lais Lopes Delfino, Ricardo Shoiti Komatsu, Caroline Komatsu, Anita Liberalesso Neri, Meire Cachioni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Neurologia Cognitiva e do Comportamento
• Series: Dementia & Neuropsychologia
• Subjects: communication; caregiver; dementia
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1980-57642017000300242&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT Communication with patients with dementia may be a difficult task for caregivers. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to produce a Brazilian transcultural adaptation of an instrument developed in Canada, called the Small Communication Strategies Scale, composed of 10 items constructed from 10 communicative strategies most recurrent in a literature survey. METHODS: Drawing on understanding of the construction of the Small Communication Strategies Scale (SCSS), a Brazilian Portuguese version of the instrument was devised through the following steps: translation, back-translation and semantic-cultural adaptation by a specialized linguist in English-Portuguese translations and application of the comprehension test for the version produced in a group of caregivers of elderly individuals with dementia. RESULTS: The transcultural equivalence process was performed and two items of the SCSS needed adapting to the Brazilian context. After changes suggested by a specialized linguist, the final version was applied to 34 caregivers and the transcultural equivalence considered satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian version of the instrument was successfully transculturally adapted for future validation and application in Brazil.