Objective: To summarize the status of the ongoing MDS-sponsored translation programs for non-English versions of the MDS-UPDRS, UDysRS, and MDS-NMS.

Background: The MDS-UPDRS, UDysRS, and MDS-NMS were developed in English. Official, clinimetrically validated translations of these scales assure uniform application across languages and cultures.

Method: Under the direction of an administrative team, non-English language teams develop a translation and back-translation of the MDS-UPDRS, UDysRS, and MDS-NMS. A Cognitive Pre-Testing phase allows refinement of the scale to ensure that questions and response options are culturally harmonized and are clear and comfortable for patients and raters. The resultant version is field tested across a large native-language speaking patient population (350 for MDS-UPDRS, 250 for UDysRS, and 300 for MDS-NMS). Pre-specified criteria based on Comparative Fit Index must be met to establish a given version as an Official MDS-approved Translation.

Results: As of March 9, 2021, 34 non-English language teams are participating in the translation programs. Twenty-one Official Translations of the MDS-UPDRS were approved: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Dutch, Estonian, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Thai, and Turkish. It has eight programs in full field testing (Czech, Danish, Kazakh, Norwegian, Romanian, Serbian, Swedish, and Ukrainian) and four programs in earlier phases (Armenian, Bulgarian, Urdu, and Uzbek). For the UDysRS, 16 Official Translations were approved: Chinese (Traditional), Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, and Turkish. It has 8 programs in full field testing (Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Kazakh, Romanian, and Serbian) and 2 programs in earlier phases (Urdu and Uzbek). Four MDS-NMS programs are beginning field testing (German, Italian, Polish, and Spanish) and five programs are in earlier phases (French, Simplified Chinese, Greek, Turkey, and Urdu).

Conclusion: The MDS-sponsored Translation Programs for the MDS-UPDRS, UDysRS, and MDS-NMS have developed a systematic protocol for validation of non-English versions to aid clinicians in practice as well as foster multicultural utilization of these scales.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/mds-translation-program-for-mds-updrs-udysrs-and-mds-nms-2/