Cultural Adaptation of the Functional External Memory Aid Tool for Use in the United Kingdom and Australia

The Functional External Memory Aid Tool (FEMAT) is a performance-based measure of applied cognitive-linguistic abilities and attempted use of compensatory aids and strategies (e.g., using a calendar to recall an appointment) through completion of simulated everyday living tasks. The FEMAT was originally developed in the United States (US) and a need arose from clinicians to adapt the FEMAT for use in other countries. The aim of this study is to describe the cultural adaptation process that resulted in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australian (AU) versions of the FEMAT, via international clinical-research partnerships.

The FEMAT was adapted into UK and AU cultures using established guidelines for cultural and linguistic adaptation. The adaptation was completed by researchers and clinicians from the US, UK, and AU and we followed a six-step process: (1) preparation, (2) forward translation, (3) back translation, (4) committee review, (5) field testing, and (6) finalization.

The FEMAT items and materials were successfully adapted from the source culture (i.e., English-US) to the target cultures (i.e., English-UK, English-AU). Through the adaptation process, the FEMAT items were determined to be conceptually appropriate for each culture and minimal modifications were made to the FEMAT materials (e.g., voicemail recordings recorded in target dialect). The finalized FEMAT-English-UK and the FEMAT-English-AU versions are available for free on the FEMAT website.

Through successful international clinical-research collaborations, the FEMAT was successfully adapted for use in other English-speaking cultures. This work provides guidance to streamline future FEMAT cultural adaptations.