Translating Questionnaires and Inventories Using a Cross-Cultural Translation Technique

Abstract

With the rise of cultural diversity in populations, researchers are faced with new issues, such as working with participants from other cultures that speak different languages. This research note presents a methodology developed by Vallerand (1989) in the psychological field that translates and validates questionnaires and inventories developed for a specific culture. This cross-cultural technique has seven steps and insures that the instrument will provide data that are valid and reliable in the targeted population. The seven steps are defined, and examples of results from a study using this methodology are provided.