TRANSLATION AND ADAPTATION OF THE REVISED DENVER PRE-SCREENING DEVELOPMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR MADINAH CHILDREN, SAUDI-ARABIA

A child's development is largely connected with environment, and so to ols used in developmental assessment and screening should be modified to match the local environment of children. The experience and finding s of such modifications is important to child health workers. The obje ctives of this study were to describe the method applied in translatin g the Revised Denver Pre-screening Developmental Questionnaire (R-PDQ) as a developmental screening tool, and to describe and analyze change s introduced to the R-PDQ after translation, adaptation and validation for Saudi children. To adapt the R-PDQ, three steps were taken: trans lation from English to Arabic using cross-translation method, piloting the Arabic translation on 65 children and mothers, and conducting the questionnaire on a random sample of 1219 children to introduce final necessary changes, The English R-PDQ went through major changes to mak e it valid for use in Saudi culture for evaluation of a child's develo pment. Changes were made in the content of the questionnaire, age inte rvals, as well as normal age of developmental abilities and the order of acquiring them. Changes in the R-PDQ items were pertinent in langua ge and personal social items. No major changes were introduced in fine -motor or gross-motor items. This study demonstrates a model in adapti ng a developmental screening tool, and illustrates the need for standa rdization of ''imported'' developmental screening tools before using t hem.