Translation and psychometric validation of the Arabic version of Summary of the Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) among pregnant women with gestational diabetes

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is a lack of validated tools to assess adherence to gestational diabetes (GDM) management plan among women with GDM. This study aimed to translate the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activity (SDSCA) into Arabic, culturally adapt it, and test its psychometric properties among women with GDM. METHODS: A multiphase study was used to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of SDSCA using the following steps: (1) cultural and linguistic validation; (2) content and face validity testing; (3) construct validity testing; and (4) internal validity testing. Nineghty pregnant women with GDM were recruited to meet the purpose of this study. RESULTS: The Arabic version of the adapted SDSCA tool revealed adequate content validity, satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.74), and test-retest reliability (Pearson correlation coefficient = .67). Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors that fit data satisfactory: diet, exercise, and blood glucose monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the adapted Arabic SDSCA tool is an easy, valid, and reliable tool to assess pregnant women’s adherence to GDM management plan. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04897-4.