The Determination of Validity and Reliability of the Abbreviated Version of BES Test in the Elderly

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determinate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Brief-BES Test in the elderly. The final version of the Brief-BES Test in the elderly was retranslated and developed based on the viewpoints of experts in elderly studies. 100 elderly men and women were voluntarily selected from Hakim Elahi nursing home in Semnan city. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics: confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to examine factorial and construct validity and internal consistency respectively. Findings indicated good fit of the factor analysis model over the Persian version of the Brief-BES Test in the elderly. In addition, the results of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient demonstrated the acceptable internal consistency of this tool. Proper translation and selecting a heterogeneous sample may have contributed to the good fit of the factor analysis model.

Keywords

• balance
• balance systems
• berg test
• multiple sclerosis patients
• the elderly