Investigating the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of Communication and Language Assessment Questionnaire for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (CLAMS)

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, neuroinflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Communication and language disorders can be seen in multiple sclerosis. These disorders negatively affect individuals' daily participation and quality of life. When evaluating individuals, using patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) is crucial. This study aims to adapt the Communication and Language Assessment Questionnaire for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis – CLAMS into Turkish, to research its validity and reliability, and to bring it into our language. The study included 216 multiple sclerosis diagnosed and 216 healthy individuals who were aged 18 years and older. For the scale's adaptation process, the translation and cultural adaptation procedure recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) was administered. After the adaptation of the scale, data were collected from the participants. Clinical and demographic information was collected from the participants, and the Turkish form of CLAMS and the Turkish form of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment were administered to the participants. After the data collection phase was completed, the validity and reliability analyses of the scale were made. Content and construct validity analyses were performed for the validity of the scale, internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha coefficient), and test-retest method analyses for the scale's consistency over time for reliability. When the study results were examined, it was seen that the Turkish version of CLAMS was a valid and reliable scale. It can be used in clinical applications for communication and language disorders of individuals with multiple sclerosis and in scientific studies for research purposes.