Cultural Adaptation for Spain of the Spanish Version of the Short Sensory Profile using Cognitive Interviews

Abstract

Introduction: The published Spanish version of the short sensory profile was designed to be used with Spanish speaking individuals in the United States. Validation for Spain was needed before it could be used clinically and in research studies in this country. The objectives of the study were twofold: 1) examine the validity of the Spanish version of the short sensory profile for Spanish caregivers; 2) insure maximal cultural clarity in item wording to reflect local usage of the Spanish language. Methods: Cognitive interviews, commonly used to examine comparability of survey questions in different languages, were the basis for evaluating comprehension and relevance of the Spanish version of the short sensory profile with 8 parents living in Spain. Clarification of wording was reviewed by an experienced linguistic consultant. Results and Discussion: Parents did not experience major difficulties understanding the question content in the current Spanish version and overall found the items pertinent to their culture. However minor adjustments to 25 of the 38 items were made for improved cultural adequacy. Several Spanish regions have another co-official language. Therapists and researchers working in these areas may need to further refine the tool. Conclusion: The revised version of the SSP-S provides researchers and clinicians working in Spain with a tool adapted to and validated on their population. Collecting norms in Spain would be needed for a thorough adaptation.