A Step-By-Step Guide to Questionnaire Validation Research

A Step-By-Step Guide

to Questionnaire Validation Research

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Authors

Mohamad Adam Bujang

Hon Yoon Khee

Lee Keng Yee

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Editor

Prof. Dr. Shamsul Azhar Shah

Institute for Clinical Research (ICR),

National Institutes of Health, Blok B4, Aras 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

www.crc.gov.my | Phone: 603-3362 7700

© INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH (ICR), Mohamad Adam B., Hon YK, & Lee KY, 2022.

Cover, graphic design and typesetting service by Chew Cheng Hoon.

All rights reserved.

The authors retain the sole copyright ownership of this book. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain prior permission from either the author or the Director of Institute for Clinical Research, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, in order to reuse the content(s) of this book and/or to reproduce the content(s) of this book in any form. However, the author wishes for this book to serve as a useful and not-for-sale reference for managing and conducting medical research consultations.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Questionnaire Validation Research

First Edition, 2022.

Cite as: Mohamad Adam B., Hon YK, & Lee KY. (2022). A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO QUESTIONNAIRE VALIDATION RESEARCH. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Institute for Clinical Research, NIH MY.

ISBN: 9789671694060 (MY)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6801209

Authors

Dr. Mohamad Adam Bujang

Clinical Research Centre, Sarawak General Hospital

Institute for Clinical Research

Ministry of Health Malaysia

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Hon Yoon Khee

Institute for Clinical Research,

National Institutes of Health,

Ministry of Health Malaysia

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Dr. Lee Keng Yee

Sector of Ethics and Research Surveillance,

National Institutes of Health,

Ministry of Health Malaysia

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank the Director General of Health Malaysia for his permission to publish this book. The appreciation also goes to Dato’ Dr. Goh Pik Pin (former Director of Institute for Clinical Research), Dr Kalaiarasu Peariasamy (The Director of Institute for Clinical Research) and Dr Alan Fong Yean Yip for their support and guidance. A special appreciation also goes to Prof. Shamsul Azhar Shah for his review and constructive comment on this book, and also to Dr Chew Cheng Hoon for helping us in the process to publish this book. Finally, we would also like to take this opportunity to thank our family and colleagues who are always supporting us in this effort. Thank you so much!

Synopsis

The original version of most validated questionnaires that are widely used throughout the world will usually be developed in a non-native language. If it is necessary to adopt such a questionnaire for use within a native-speaking population, then it will first have to undergo a proper validation process. This book aims to provide a useful guide for describing all the necessary steps of validating a questionnaire. Since different researchers may adopt slightly different approaches for validating a translated questionnaire; hence, it is helpful for us to standardize a list of common requirements for validating the translated questionnaires. In this book, we shall focus on developing a standard checklist which contains 17 items that are recommended to serve as a useful guide for researchers conducting studies involving questionnaire validation. Therefore, it is recommended for the researchers to make use of this checklist to remind them of all the necessary steps for them to take when they validate a translated questionnaire.

Abbreviations

Table of Content 

Acknowledgement

Synopsis

Abbreviations

List of Tables

List of Figures

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Why validation of an existing questionnaire is of a higher priority than the original development of a new questionnaire?

1.2 Four different types of questionnaires

1.2.1 Questionnaire Type 1: Questionnaire to collect facts or information

1.2.2 Questionnaire Type 2: Questionnaire to assess knowledge level

1.2.3 Questionnaire Type 3: Questionnaire for screening or for a diagnostic assessment

1.2.4 Questionnaire Type 4: Questionnaire to measure latent variables

1.3 A Summary of defining features and characteristics of different types of questionnaires

1.4 How to select the right type of questionnaire to validate?

Chapter 2: Process for Conducting Questionnaire Validation Studies

2.1 Content validity

2.2 Translation process

2.3 Face Validity

2.4 Pilot studies

2.4.1 The sampling procedure and sample selection for a pilot study

2.5 Field-testing of a questionnaire

Chapter 3: Establishment of Reliability & Validity

3.1 Reliability testing

3.2 Validity testing

3.2.1 Concurrent validity

3.2.2 Predictive validity

3.2.3 Diagnostic assessment

3.2.4 Known-groups comparison

3.2.5 Construct validity

3.3 A summary of requirements for conducting reliability and validity tests for a questionnaire validation study

Chapter 4: Other Issues Pertaining to Reliability and Validity Testing for a Questionnaire Validation Study

4.1 Copyright protection

4.2 The practice of combining more than one existing questionnaire to form a new questionnaire

4.3 The practice of combining a validation study and a research study together by using an unvalidated questionnaire that is awaiting validation for a research purpose

4.4 Sample size requirements

4.5 In what circumstances will validation of the questionnaire be deemed unnecessary?

4.6 Types of questionnaires that are probably not suitable for undergoing validation

Chapter 5: Conclusion

References

About the Authors

Dr. Mohamad Adam Bujang

Mr. Hon Yoon Khee

Dr. Lee Keng Yee

About the Publisher

List of Tables

List of Figures

Chapter 1: Introduction

A questionnaire is