International Journal of Older People Nursing

Psychometric Properties of an Arabic Translation of the Older People's Quality of Life-Brief (OPQOL-Brief) Scale

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: This investigation scrutinises the psychometric qualities of the Arabic version of the Older People's Quality of Life-Brief (OPQOL-brief) scale in a sample of Arabic-speaking older adults to support culturally appropriate assessment of lived experience and person-centred care in later life and to strengthen gerontological nursing assessment and evaluation across settings. METHOD: A cross sectional study included 539 Arabic-speaking older Egyptians (50.3% women; 60.7% aged 65-75). Forward-backward translation and cultural adaptation procedures support linguistic and cultural equivalence. Data collection uses a mixed-mode approach (face-to-face and online) to support inclusive participation; procedures were standardised across modes to minimise measurement differences. RESULTS: The scale yielded a three-factor structure reflecting the multidimensional nature of quality of life in older adults. Internal consistency was high for the total score (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega = 0.92). Measurement properties did not differ significantly by gender, supporting cross-gender interpretability. Concurrent validity showed a strong positive correlation between Arabic OPQOL-brief and resilience scores (r = 0.60, p < 0.001), supporting its relevance to nursing care planning and outcome monitoring. Psychometric testing in this study includes factor structure, internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity and measurement invariance. CONCLUSION: This research closes a gap in the literature and supports the Arabic OPQOL-brief as a robust tool for assessing quality of life in Arabic-speaking older adults. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The new scale can help support nurse-led person-centred assessment, care coordination and evaluation of interventions.