The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy‑Fatigue Measure: Cross‑Cultural Validation of an Arabic Version for Older Jordanians

Abstract

Background: Numerous national and international nursing research studies have used the 13‑item Chronic Illness Therapy Functional Assessment Chronic Illness Therapy (fatigue) (FACIT‐F) scale to measure the level of self‑reported fatigue among the elderly population. Nonetheless, a culturally adapted Arabic version of the scale of the same quality was required to boost its use in Arabic‑ speaking nations. This study cross‑culturally validated the Arabic version of the FACIT‑F scale and tested its validity and reliability in an Arabic‑speaking population. Materials and Methods: We conducted the study among an elderly Jordanian population using a methodological cross‑sectional approach. Using a cluster random selection technique, we randomly selected 250 older adults from a larger pool. We evaluated the scale’s validity, internal consistency, and acceptability. We analyzed the construct validity using both confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. Results: The Arabic version of FACIT‑F was proven to be acceptable for the one‑factor model in the elderly Jordanian population. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the Arabic FACIT‑F was 0.95, which indicated good reliability. Evidence suggested that construct validity for the FACIT‑F was generally quite acceptable. Conclusions: With regard to evaluating fatigue in an older Jordanian population, the Arabic translations of the FACIT‑F have been shown to be reliable and valid.