Turkish Translation and Cultural Adaptation of the Motor Planning Maze Assessment (MPMA)

The MPMA is a performance-based evaluation designed to quickly and accurately screen for motor planning challenges in children between 3 and 12 years old. This test is currently unavailable in Turkish. A systematic, multistage translation process is essential for preserving equivalence between a test's source and target versions. This study aimed to create a culturally adapted Turkish research version of the MPMA for forthcoming normative data collection, reliability, and validity studies. Based on the literature review and recommendations, a seven-step protocol for translation and cross-cultural adaptation was followed. The procedure encompasses forward and backward translations, expert linguistic evaluation, cognitive interviews, and pilot testing. This seven-step process for translating and culturally adapting the MPMA was completed. Despite the necessity for certain modifications in the synthesis and linguistic analysis stage, there were no semantic or conceptual discrepancies in the forward translations. Some discrepancies occurred between the backward translation and the original version; however, this did not influence the standard administration and scoring of the test. The Turkish adaptation of the MPMA will be a valuable tool for clinical practice and research with the Turkish population. Appropriately translated and culturally adapted assessments, such as the MPMA, will influence both practical applications and research opportunities concerning motor planning in Turkey.