Brazilian version of the DABS: Adaptation process and validity evidence based on the internal structure

The Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS) is an American standardized instrument that provides reliable and valid information to determine whether an individual has significant limitations in adaptive behavior. This study aimed to develop a transculturally adapted version of the DABS for Brazil (DABS-B) and examine the validity evidence based on the internal structure of this adaptation. The adaptation involved translation of the items, consolidation of the translation by a committee, validation of the preliminary translation by a committee, adjustments by the research group, pilot testing, post-test adjustments, and a final version test. The DABS-B was administered to 422 respondents aged between 20 and 73 years (M=40.41; SD=8.12) who provided information about the adaptive behavior of 477 Brazilians aged between 4 and 21 years (M=10.31; SD=4.35). The participants included clinical and non-clinical groups. Data analysis was conducted using Item Response Theory (IRT). Results provided strong evidence of unidimensionality within each DABS-B domain, suggesting that the construct is well-defined and consistent across both domains and age groups. Good adjustments indicated that the adaptation of the measure was well executed.