The Balance Recovery Confidence (Brc) Scale

Overview

The goal of this observational cross-sectional study is to evaluate the cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the Turkish version of the Balance Recovery Confidence Scale (BRCS), named Dengeyi Düzeltmede Kendine Güven Ölçeği (DDKGÖ), in older Turkish adults aged 65 and above. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the Turkish adaptation (DDKGÖ) demonstrate acceptable cultural validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability in measuring balance recovery confidence? How does the DDKGÖ correlate with established tools assessing fear of falling, balance confidence, and physical performance (e.g., FES-I, ABC, TUG) to confirm convergent validity? Participants will: Complete the DDKGÖ questionnaire twice (7 days apart) to assess test-retest reliability. Undergo physical performance tests (e.g., Timed Up and Go, Handgrip Strength Test, 30-Second Chair Stand Test). Provide responses to additional self-report scales (FES-I, ABC) to evaluate convergent validity. This study focuses on community-dwelling older adults without severe cognitive or physical impairments. Results will help standardize the DDKGÖ as a tool for identifying fall risk and personalizing rehabilitation strategies in Turkish geriatric populations.

This observational psychometric study is designed to establish the cultural validity, reliability, and overall measurement performance of the Turkish adaptation of the Balance Recovery Confidence Scale (DDKGÖ) in community-dwelling older adults. After obtaining informed consent and confirming basic eligibility, participants will undergo a two-phase assessment protocol with a one-week interval between phases. During Phase 1, each participant will complete a structured interview and self-report questionnaires in a single session. These include the 19-item DDKGÖ (to assess reactive balance confidence), the Falls Efficacy Scale-International, and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale. Trained assessors will also record demographic and health information (e.g., age, sex, comorbidities, history of falls) and administer a battery of standardized performance tests-such as the Timed Up and Go, 30-Second Chair Stand, Tinetti Balance \& Gait, and Handgrip Strength tests-to evaluate convergent validity. Exactly seven days later, in Phase 2, participants will return to repeat the DDKGÖ under identical conditions to evaluate test-retest stability. All sessions will be conducted in the same clinical setting by the same examiners, using standardized instructions and order of administration to minimize procedural variability. Collected data will be anonymized and entered into a secure database. Statistical analyses will include exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine structural validity, calculation of internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach's α), intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability, Bland-Altman limits of agreement to quantify measurement error, and correlation analyses with existing balance- and fear-of-fall measures and performance tests to establish convergent validity. By following this stepwise process-translation verification, initial validity and reliability testing, and retest assessment-this study will provide a comprehensive evaluation of whether the DDKGÖ is suitable for use in both research and clinical practice to identify older Turkish adults at elevated fall risk and to monitor changes in their confidence to recover from postural disturbances.