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- PaperDOAJ — Language assessment1 Jul 2026
Validation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Bedside Language test for Brazilian patients
Milena Gama Setúbal Freitas, Ingrid César Fernandes, Gustavo Cavalcante Cruz de Almeida, Artur Victor Menezes Sousa
The Bedside Language test was translated and culturally adapted for Brazilian Portuguese, demonstrating high internal consistency and reliability in assessing aphasia in stroke patients. The tool showed strong correlation with an existing screening test across most language domains, supporting its use for early diagnosis in hospital settings.
Original abstract
ABSTRACT Aphasia is a neurological condition characterized by partial or total loss of verbal communication, most commonly caused by stroke. In hospital settings, brief and reliable tools are essential to identify and quantify aphasia early, enabling prompt diagnosis and appropriate rehabilitation planning. However, Brazil lacks language assessment instruments adapted for bedside use. Objective: To perform the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Bedside Language test for Brazilian Portuguese. Methods: The BL underwent translation, back-translation, expert review, and cultural adaptation. The final version was administered to 70 participants. Two evaluators applied the instrument on the same day to assess inter-rater reliability, and the same examiner reapplied it within two days to assess test-retest reliability. The Bedside Evaluation Screening Test (BEST-2) language test was also used for concurrent validity. Results: The Brazilian version of the BL demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: spontaneous reading — LE=0.80; comprehension — CO=0.86; repetition — RE=0.95; writing — ES=0.73; overall=0.87), as well as satisfactory intra-rater (p=0.22) and inter-rater (p=0.77) reliability. It showed a strong correlation with the BEST-2 across all linguistic domains except writing. Conclusion: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the BL is a brief, valid, and reliable bedside screening tool for identifying aphasia in patients with ischemic stroke, supporting high-quality care in specialized stroke centers.