OBJECTIVE: The aim has been to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Exercise Adherence Rating Scale (EARS) for Mexican Spanish speaking population with non-specific chronic low back pain and assess its psychometric properties. METHODS: The study had two phases: translation and cultural adaptation, followed by psychometric validation. Reliability was assessed with internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient)
validity with construct validity (Spearman's correlation) and factor analysis
sensitivity to change with effect size and standardized response mean difference
feasibility by completion time in seconds
and ceiling/floor effects were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 161 subjects were included. Cronbach's alpha (0.93
95% CI 0.92-0.95) indicated good internal consistency, and intraclass correlation (0.95
95% CI: 0.89-0.97) showed excellent test-retest reliability. Weak correlations between the EARS vs. the Visual Analogue Pain Rating Scale and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire were found (r = -0.29 and r = 0.00 respectively). All effect size values indicated that the scale presented a significant sensitivity to change. The average time to complete the EARS-Mx was 219 s. No ceiling or floor effect was detected. CONCLUSION: The EARS-Mx showed semantic, conceptual, idiomatic, content and operational equivalence with respect to the original scale, and appropriate metric properties of reliability, validity, sensitivity to change and feasibility.