Adaptation of the Spanish version of the Frontal Assessment Battery for detection of executive dysfunction

Med Clin (Barc). 2021 Mar 12;156(5):229-232. doi: 10.1016/j.medcli.2020.04.028. Epub 2020 Sep 9.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Background: The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) evaluates executive dysfunctions; however, there is no culturally adapted version of this instrument for the Spanish population. The aim of this study was the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the original version of the FAB into Spanish and to pilot test this version.

Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation was conducted following standard procedures. The final Spanish version of the FAB (FAB-E) was pilot tested with 19 healthy Spanish individuals. Total and subtest FAB-E scores were analysed to verify that the test could be understood and that the items assessed what they were intended to assess.

Results: The FAB-E revealed that items/instructions were culturally appropriate and written clearly. Pilot testing showed that most of the participants had scores ranging between 2 and 3 points in all the items. The mean of the total FAB-E was 15.8 (SD=1.3) and the values ranged from 13 to 18. Age and educational level seemed to indicate differences in FAB-E scores.

Conclusion: Our findings support that the FAB-E can be used to screen for executive dysfunctions in a Spanish-speaking population.

Keywords: Adaptación cultural; Cross-cultural adaptation; Executive functions; Frontal Assessment Battery; Funciones ejecutivas; Idioma español; Neuropsychological test; Spanish; Test neuropsicológico; Traducción; Translation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cognitive Dysfunction*
  • Humans
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Translations*