A Preliminary Study on the Adaptation and Validity of The Malay Version Device Oriented Subjective Outcome (DOSO) Scale

The current study aimed to adapt the Device-Oriented Subjective Outcome (DOSO) scale into the Malay language which can be used for the Malaysian adult population to measure hearing-aid amplification outcomes. This cross-sectional study involved five stages: (i) forward translation, (ii) synthesis of the translation, (iii) backward translation, (iv) expert committee review, and (v) face validity by audiology students (n=30) and audiologists (n=30) via an online form. The mean comprehension score for audiology students was 94.7% (SD = 7.8%) and for audiologists was 91.6% (SD = 13.1%). The mean comprehension score for native-Malay speakers was 93.0% (SD = 10.4%) and for non-native speakers was 93.6% (SD = 10.4%). Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant difference in comprehension scores between audiologists and students, U = 764, z = -1.08, p = 0.28; and between native-Malay and non-native speakers, U = 723, z = -1.46, p = 0.14. This suggests that multiracial respondents can comprehend the preliminary Malay-translated DOSO scale. A preliminary Malay-translated DOSO scale is available for use by audiologists to measure device outcomes as part of the aural rehabilitation process. Further validation and testing among hearing-aid users is recommended.