Urdu translation and validation of clinically useful anxiety outcome scale in Pakistan: 'An observational study'

To translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale on Urdu-speaking population.

The observational validation study was conducted in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, from January 2018 to December 2019 in two phases. In the first phase, the Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale was forward and backward translated, while in the second phase, the translated scale was validated on a sample comprising subjects in clinical and nonclinical settings. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were examined, and inter- group mean comparison was made. To find out the level of language equivalence between the original and the translated versions, a data were collected from a separate sample of bilingual participants. Data was analysed using SPSS 22.

The Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale-Urdu was found to be internally consistent (α=0.95). Test-retest reliability of the translated scale was satisfactory (r=0.74). Significant correlational values for convergent and discriminant validity (r=0.76, r=-0.54, p<0-01) were observed.. Significant mean difference between clinical and non-clinical groups established the criterion-related validity of the Urdu translation. Language equivalence between the original and the translated versions showed non-significant mean differences (p>0.05) and significant correlation coefficients (p<0.05).

The Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale-Urdu was found to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring anxiety symptoms in Urdu-speaking populations.