WHY LINGUISTIC VALIDATION IS AN INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE TRANSLATIONS?

Linguistic validation and cognitive debriefing may sound like head-scratching terms as they are beyond the ken. In this blog, my focus will be on unveiling the mystery behind these terms. It is fundamental for the cognitive debriefing and linguistic validation to meet the requirements of an instrument validity so that they can be further put into use for the international trials.

Without linguistic validation, clinical research trials are in a stake of being shunned and all thanks to fallacious translations that bring about misconception. It has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration to justify the reliability of the content by linguistic validation.

Linguistic Validation Explained

It is the refining process during which different translators translate the patient questionnaire at the same time when the translations are synchronized to develop a new a consistent version. The back translation in the original language gives the green signal and make assurance doubly sure to the reconciled version. Linguistic Validation holds in preparation, translation, reconciliation, harmonization, cognitive debriefing and finalization phases.

The unending list of Linguistic validation includes Clinical Outcome Assessment (COAs), such as Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs), Clinician Reported Outcomes (ClinROs) and Observer Reported Outcomes (ObsROs) and for Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaires. These are named as “instruments” that divulge directions, items (also known as questions) and response classes.

Here is the overview of the LINGUISTIC VALIDATION in detail:

Step 1: Forward Translation

To begin with, linguistic validation enrolls two translators who perform their job to translate the source text into the target language in the ongoing process. This is termed as Forward Translation. Adroit professional translators who are native experts of the target language with the specialization in the concerned field should execute the translations. Your pertinent translators should be clinicians, doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, and not just bilinguals.

Step 2: Reconciliation

Subsequent step counts in reconciliation. What it holds is developing a new version from both the forward translations precisely. On the conceptual basis, the reconciled version should be in concordant with the original document. Literal translations will be worthless. This is because the word to word translations showcase variation and a shift from the intended meaning. Easy-peasy translations are comprehensible for the target audience.

Step 3: Back Translation

Reconciliation is followed by the back translations. Back translations are an indispensable part of linguistic validation as it confirms the authenticity of the pristine reconciled version.

Step 4: Final Audit

The climax of the linguistic validation involves the role of the project manager whose job is to take the review of the translations and keep a check on the consistency. Finalized translations are delivered to the clients. (Translation Services in New York)