Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Face Validity of the Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24054/rcsf.v12i1.4654Keywords:
Deglutition , Mastication, Dysphagia,, Validation Studies, TOMASSAbstract
AbstractThe cross-cultural adaptation of instruments, assessment tools, and clinical protocols in medical sciences is a fundamental process to ensure the conceptual, linguistic, and cultural equivalence of evaluation measures across different languages and contexts, thereby promoting a consistent interpretation of instructions and the validity of the results obtained. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS) into Colombian Spanish and to establish its face validity. A cross-sectional study was conducted following a three-phase methodological process: (I) cross-cultural adaptation, including forward translation and synthesis of translations; (II) back-translation and harmonization; and (III) face validity assessment through quantitative consensus by a collaborative expert committee, which evaluated the semantic equivalence, clarity, and relevance of the test items. The Colombian Spanish version of the TOMASS demonstrated adequate cross-cultural equivalence and face validity, supporting its potential usefulness for future studies aimed at evaluating its psychometric properties and establishing local and national normative data.
Keywords: Deglutition Disorders, Swallowing Disorders, protocols of mastication, texture solids.
Downloads
References
1. Clavé P, Shaker R. Dysphagia: current reality and scope of the problem. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015;12(5):259-70. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2015.49.
2. Riquelme LF. Dysphagia: clinical overview. Semin Speech Lang. 2019;40(3):143-50.
3. Speyer R, Balaguer M, Cugy E, Devoucoux C, Morinière S, Soriano G, et al. Expert consensus on clinical decision making in the disease trajectory of oropharyngeal dysphagia in adults: an international Delphi study. J Clin Med. 2023;12(20):6572. doi:10.3390/jcm12206572.
4. Yang S, Park JW, Min K, Lee YS, Song YJ, Choi SH, et al. Clinical practice guidelines for oropharyngeal dysphagia. Ann Rehabil Med. 2023;47(Suppl 1):S1-26. doi:10.5535/arm.23069.
5. Attrill S, White S, Murray J, Hammond S, Doeltgen S. Impact of oropharyngeal dysphagia on healthcare cost and length of stay in hospital: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):594. doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3376-3.
6. Logemann JA. Evaluation and treatment of swallowing disorders. 2nd ed. Austin (TX): Pro-Ed; 1998.
7. International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative. Complete IDDSI framework detailed definitions 2.0 [Internet]. IDDSI; 2019 [citado 2026 Oct 16]. Disponible en: https://iddsi.org/framework/
8. Steele CM, Alsanei WA, Ayanikalath S, Barbon CEA, Chen J, Cichero JAY, et al. The influence of food texture and liquid consistency modification on swallowing physiology and function: a systematic review. Dysphagia. 2015;30(1):2-26. doi:10.1007/s00455-014-9578-x.
9. Swan K, Speyer R, Heijnen BJ, Wagg B, Cordier R. Living with oropharyngeal dysphagia: effects of bolus modification on health-related quality of life—a systematic review. Qual Life Res. 2015;24(10):2447-56. doi:10.1007/s11136-015-0990-y.
10. Cichero JAY, Lam P, Steele CM, Hanson B, Chen J, Dantas RO, et al. Development of international terminology and definitions for texture-modified foods and thickened fluids used in dysphagia management: the IDDSI framework. Dysphagia. 2017;32(2):293-314. doi:10.1007/s00455-016-9758-y.
11. Ashbaugh Enguídanos RA, Benito Fernández M, Gil-Fournier N, Rodríguez Campuzano V. Métodos de cribado para la disfagia orofaríngea. Nutr Clin Med. 2024;18(1):23-34.
12. Zambrano C. Comparación entre FEES y videofluoroscopia de la deglución. Rev Colomb Otorrinolaringol. 2024;52(1):55-63.
13. O'Horo JC, Rogus-Pulia N, Garcia-Arguello L, Robbins J, Safdar N. Bedside diagnosis of dysphagia: a systematic review. J Hosp Med. 2015;10(4):256-65. doi:10.1002/jhm.2313.
14. Bours GJ, Speyer R, Lemmens J, Limburg M, de Wit R. Bedside screening tests vs.
15. Leder SB, Espinosa JF. Aspiration risk after acute stroke: comparison of clinical examination and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. Dysphagia. 2002;17(3):214-8. doi:10.1007/s00455-002-0054-7.
16. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Adult dysphagia (Practice Portal) [Internet]. Rockville (MD): ASHA; [s.f.] [citado 2026 Oct 16]. Disponible en: https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/adult-dysphagia/.
17. Hägglund P, Karlsson P, Karlsson F. The Timed Water Swallow Test (TWST): normative data on swallowing capacity for healthy people aged 60 years and older. Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023;25(4):479-85. doi:10.1080/17549507.2022.2096925.
18. Nathadwarawala KM, McGroary A, Wiles CM. Swallowing in neurological outpatients: use of a timed test. Dysphagia. 1994;9(2):1209. doi:10.1007/BF00714599.
19. DePippo KL, Holas MA, Reding MJ. The Burke dysphagia screening test: validation of its use in patients with stroke. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1994;75(12):1284-6.
20. Clavé P, Arreola V, Romea M, Medina L, Palomera E, Serra-Prat M. Accuracy of the volume-viscosity swallow test for clinical screening of oropharyngeal dysphagia and aspiration. Clin Nutr. 2008;27(6):806-15. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2008.06.011.
21. Huckabee ML, McIntosh T, Fuller L, Curry M, Thomas P, Walshe M, et al. The Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS): reliability, validity and international normative data. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2018;53(1):144-56. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12332.
22. Todaro F, Pizzorni N, Scarponi L, Ronzoni C, Huckabee ML, Schindler A. The Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS): reliability and validity in patients with dysphagia. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2021;56(3):558-66. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12613.
23. Kothari S, Krishnamurthy R, Balasubramanium RK, Huckabee ML. The Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS): reliability, validity and normative data for the adult Indian population. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021;73(3):327-32. doi:10.1007/s12070-021-02429-8.
24. Ng WT. Validation of the Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS) [Tesis de maestría]. Christchurch (NZ): University of Canterbury; 2015.
25. Frank U vanden, Engel-Hoek L, Nogueira D, Schindler A, Adams S, Curry M, Huckabee ML. International standardisation of the test of masticating and swallowing solids in children. J Oral Rehabil. 2019;46(2):161-9. doi:10.1111/joor.12728.
26. Sella-Weiss O. The Test of Mastication and Swallowing Solids and the Timed Water Swallow Test: reliability, associations, age and gender effects, and normative data. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2023;58(1):67-81. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12768.
27. Aseef A, DodderiT, Muthukumar V, Krishnamurthy R, Balasubramanium RK, Kothari M. Test of mastication and swallowing solids in healthy individuals aged 6 to 20 years: a normative study in an Indian context. J Oral Rehabil. 2024;51(9):1839-47. doi:10.1111/joor.13741.
28. Cruchinho P, López-Franco MD, Capelas ML, Almeida S, Bennett PM, Miranda da Silva M, et al. Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of measurement instruments: a practical guideline for novice researchers. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2024;17:2701-28. doi:10.2147/JMDH.S419714.
29. Beaton DE, Bombardier C, Guillemin F, Ferraz MB. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186-91. doi:10.1097/00007632-200012150-00014.
30. McKown S, Acquadro C, Anfray C, Arnold B, Eremenco S, Giroudet C, et al. Good practices for the translation, cultural adaptation, and linguistic validation of clinician-reported outcome, observer-reported outcome, and performance outcome measures. J Patient Rep Outcomes. 2020;4(1):89. doi:10.1186/s41687-020-00248-z.
31. Arcaro MES, Bressanelli A, do Santos VB, Barbosa A, Bice E, Olchik MR. Normative data and reliability of the Test of Masticating and Swallowing Solids (TOMASS) in healthy Brazilian adults. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026;61(6):e70328. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.70328.
32. Papadakis NM, Aletta F, Kang J, Oberman T, Mitchell A, Stavroulakis GE. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation methodology for soundscape attributes: a study with independent translation groups from English to Greek. Appl Acoust. 2022;200:109031 doi:10.1016/j.apacoust.2022.109031.
33. Ordóñez Daza LF, Garro Andrada V, Rodríguez-Grande EI, Vázquez Fernández P. Ajuste intralingual y validez de apariencia de la Prueba de Evaluación Fonético-Fonológica-PEFF al español colombiano. Rev Investig Logop. 2026;16(1):e102578. doi:10.5209/rlog.102578.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Flga. Jennifer Borjas Galvis, Dra. Maria del Carmen Campos
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
