Arabic Version of the Family Health Climate Questionnaire in a Saudi Population: Translation, Validation, and...

Background/Objectives: The family health climate (FHC) questionnaire comprises two subscales: physical activity (FHC-PA) and nutrition (FHC-NU). We aimed to translate the FHC into Arabic, culturally adapt it, and evaluate its reliability and validity among adult Arabic speakers. Methods: The original scale was translated and back-translated, and face and content validity of the scale was reviewed by 10 nutritionists. The scale reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha (α). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to establish construct validity. Results: The FHC demonstrated an acceptable level of content validity, with a scale content validity index/average of 0.93 and index/universal of 0.51. The scale exhibited high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.956, 0.928, and 0.939 for the total FHC, FHC-PA, and FHC-NU, respectively). Strong Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin values for FHC-PA and FHC-NU (0.946 and 0.947, respectively) and a significant Bartlett's test of sphericity (p < 0.001) were observed. For the FHC-PA, a three-factor structure was identified, explaining 51.5% of the variance, whereas the FHC-NU exhibited a four-factor structure explaining 49.2% of the variance. Conclusions: The Arabic FHC scale is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating the family environment that influences health-related behaviors. It can serve as a valuable resource for developing family-oriented strategies for health promotion and disease prevention.