Clinical Outcomes Supports Key ReQoL Chapter in International Handbook of Behavioral Health Assessment
15th November 2023
Clinical Outcomes supported ReQoL’s inclusion in a major international handbook, showcasing its global reach through rigorous translation, linguistic validation, and cultural adaptation processes.
We are delighted to share that a comprehensive chapter on the Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL) measures has been published in the prestigious International Handbook of Behavioral Health Assessment, with contributions supported by Clinical Outcomes and Oxford University Innovation (OUI).
The chapter provides an authoritative overview of ReQoL-10 and ReQoL-20, innovative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) designed for individuals aged 16 and over experiencing mental health difficulties. It details the conceptual foundation and development process of the measures, including item generation, content validation, and psychometric testing, and it highlights their extensive global reach through translations and cultural adaptations.
To date, Clinical Outcomes has played a pivotal role in the translation and linguistic validation of ReQoL for global use with various licensees. While English is widely spoken, it is by no means universally understood, particularly in the context of healthcare, where nuance and clarity are paramount. PROMs like ReQoL pose a unique translation challenge, as they elicit rather than deliver information, often on deeply personal and sensitive topics.
To address this, Clinical Outcomes implement a robust, research-backed 10-step translation and validation methodology. These steps include dual forward and back translations, developer reviews, proofreading, and most critically, cognitive debriefing with patients in the target language. This ensures the translated measures are not only linguistically accurate but also culturally appropriate and meaningful.
Certified translations of ReQoL adhere strictly to this methodology, involving multiple layers of review, including translators, proofreaders, clinicians, patients, and the original developers. For contexts where certified translation may not be feasible, OUI works closely with academic partners to produce non-certified versions, maintaining high standards of accuracy through coordinated oversight and collaboration.
In total, ReQoL has been translated into 28 languages across a wide range of territories, including versions tailored to specific dialects and regional cultural contexts such as UK vs. US English, Spanish for Spain vs. US, and French for France vs. Canada.
The chapter also showcases real-life translation challenges and solutions from various language adaptations, such as:
- Adjusting for grammatical and tense differences (e.g., simple past vs. present continuous in different languages).
- Resolving semantic ambiguities (e.g., translating “I felt like a failure” into culturally intelligible terms in German and Hebrew).
- Handling right-to-left script adaptations and gendered language constraints in Latin-based languages.
These examples underscore the importance of cultural sensitivity in global mental health assessment tools, reaffirming the essential role of translation and localization in delivering equitable care.
Clinical Outcomes is proud to have supported the developers of ReQoL in producing this chapter, which not only solidifies the scientific integrity of the measure but also affirms its universal applicability through careful translation and cultural validation.
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