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1.
J Appl Meas ; 21(4): 361-378, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33989195

ABSTRACT

Rasch/Guttman Scenario (RGS) scales produce scores that map onto interpretable descriptions of individuals at different levels of hierarchically progressive constructs. The unique scenario item format provides actionable and rich content-relevant feedback about (a) respondent status, (b) intervention design, and (c) longitudinal change on a construct. This article presents a seven-step methodological framework for the development of RGS scales. We also reflect on plausible challenges that may arise in the applications of RGS scale development and propose future research directions for the methodology.


Subject(s)
Psychometrics , Humans , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires
2.
J Appl Meas ; 20(4): 367-383, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31730544

ABSTRACT

While youth bullying is a critical public health problem, standardized exposure screening is not routinely practiced. The Child-Adolescent Bullying Scale, (CABS), a psychometrically robust 22-item tool, was designed and evaluated for this purpose using classical test theory. The goals of the present study were to examine and optimize the measurement properties of the CABS using a Rasch psychometric analysis to develop a brief screening tool appropriate for clinical use. A methodologic design and the Rasch rating scale model were employed. Three hundred and fifty-two youths from two clinical sites participated. Rasch-based analyses included evaluation of response category functioning, measurement precision, dimensionality, targeting, differential item functioning and guidance in item reduction. After iterative revisions, the resulting screening instrument consists of 9 items. Cut-scores and interpretive guidance are provided to aid clinical identification of bullying-related risk. Findings suggest the CABS-9 holds promise as a useful screening tool for identifying bullying exposure.


Subject(s)
Bullying , Psychometrics , Adolescent , Bullying/psychology , Bullying/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Mass Screening , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires
3.
Res Nurs Health ; 41(3): 252-264, 2018 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29504650

ABSTRACT

While youth bullying is a significant public health problem, healthcare providers have been limited in their ability to identify bullied youths due to the lack of a reliable, and valid instrument appropriate for use in clinical settings. We conducted a multisite study to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new 22-item instrument for assessing youths' experiences of being bullied, the Child Adolescent Bullying Scale (CABS). The 20 items summed to produce the measure's score were evaluated here. Diagnostic performance was assessed through evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve. A sample of 352 youths from diverse racial, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds (188 female, 159 male, 5 transgender, sample mean age 13.5 years) were recruited from two clinical sites. Participants completed the CABS and existing youth bullying measures. Analyses grounded in classical test theory, including assessments of reliability and validity, item analyses, and principal components analysis, were conducted. The diagnostic performance and test characteristics of the CABS were also evaluated. The CABS is comprised of one component, accounting for 67% of observed variance. Analyses established evidence of internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.97), construct and convergent validity. Sensitivity was 84%, specificity was 65%, and the AUROC curve was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.69-0.80). Findings suggest that the CABS holds promise as a reliable, valid tool for healthcare provider use in screening for bullying exposure in the clinical setting.


Subject(s)
Bullying , Psychometrics/methods , Reproducibility of Results , Adolescent , Crime Victims/statistics & numerical data , Ethnicity/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Male , Racial Groups/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires
4.
CBE Life Sci Educ ; 17(1)2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29326101

ABSTRACT

National reports have called for the introduction of research experiences throughout the undergraduate curriculum, but practical implementation at many institutions faces challenges associated with sustainability, cost, and large student populations. We describe a novel course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) that introduces introductory-level students to research in functional genomics in a 3-credit, multisection laboratory class. In the Pathways over Time class project, students study the functional conservation of the methionine biosynthetic pathway between divergent yeast species. Over the five semesters described in this study, students (N = 793) showed statistically significant and sizable growth in content knowledge (d = 1.85) and in self-reported research methods skills (d = 0.65), experimental design, oral and written communication, database use, and collaboration. Statistical analyses indicated that content knowledge growth was larger for underrepresented minority students and that growth in content knowledge, but not research skills, varied by course section. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that CUREs can support the scientific development of large numbers of students with diverse characteristics. The Pathways over Time project is designed to be sustainable and readily adapted to other institutional settings.


Subject(s)
Curriculum , Genomics/education , Laboratories , Educational Measurement , Female , Humans , Knowledge , Male , Methionine/biosynthesis , Regression Analysis , Research Design , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism , Students , Time Factors
5.
CBE Life Sci Educ ; 17(1)2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29351911

ABSTRACT

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) play important instructional roles in introductory science courses, yet they often have little training in pedagogy. The most common form of teaching professional development (PD) for GTAs is a presemester workshop held at the course, department, or college level. In this study, we compare the effectiveness of presemester workshops at three northeastern research universities, each of which incorporated scientific teaching as the pedagogical content framework. The comparison of GTA PD program outcomes at three different institutions is intended to test theoretical assertions about the key role of contextual factors in GTA PD efficacy. Pretest and posttest surveys were used to assess changes in GTA teaching self-efficacy and anxiety following the workshops, and an objective test was used to assess pedagogical knowledge. Analysis of pretest/posttest data revealed statistically significant gains in GTA teaching self-efficacy and pedagogical knowledge and reductions in teaching anxiety across sites. Changes in teaching anxiety and self-efficacy, but not pedagogical knowledge, differed by training program. Student ratings of GTAs at two sites showed that students had positive perceptions of GTAs in all teaching dimensions, and relatively small differences in student ratings of GTAs were observed between institutions. Divergent findings for some outcome variables suggest that program efficacy was influenced as hypothesized by contextual factors such as GTA teaching experience.


Subject(s)
Education, Graduate , Program Evaluation , Teaching , Universities , Female , Humans , Knowledge , Male , Self Efficacy , Students/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
6.
Phys Ther ; 96(4): 456-68, 2016 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26337259

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), a measure of walking balance ability, was developed to eliminate the ceiling effect observed in the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI). Three presumably more difficult tasks were added and 1 easier task was removed from the original 8 DGI tasks. The effects of these modifications on item hierarchy have not previously been analyzed. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) the ordering of the 10 FGA tasks and the extent to which they map along a clinically logical difficulty continuum, (2) whether the spread of tasks is sufficient to measure patients of varying functional ability levels without a ceiling effect, (3) where the 3 added tasks locate along the task difficulty continuum, and (4) the psychometric properties of the individual FGA tasks. DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was conducted. METHODS: Functional Gait Assessment scores from 179 older adults referred for physical therapy for balance retraining were analyzed by Rasch modeling. RESULTS: The FGA task hierarchy met clinical expectations, with the exception of the "walking on level" task, which locates in the middle of the difficulty continuum. There was no ceiling effect. Two of the 3 added tasks were the most difficult FGA tasks. Performance on the most difficult task ("gait with narrow base of support") demonstrated greater variability than predicted by the Rasch model. LIMITATIONS: The sample was limited to older adults who were community dwelling and independently ambulating. Findings cannot be generalized to other patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: The revised scoring criteria of the FGA may have affected item hierarchy. The results suggest that the FGA is a measure of walking balance ability in older adults that is clinically appropriate and has construct validity. Administration of the FGA may be modified further to improve administration efficiency.


Subject(s)
Disability Evaluation , Gait/physiology , Models, Statistical , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Postural Balance/physiology , Principal Component Analysis , Retrospective Studies
7.
Disabil Rehabil ; 34(5): 393-401, 2012.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21988750

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To examine the discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, administration time and acceptability of the pediatric evaluation of disability inventory computer adaptive test (PEDI-CAT). METHODS: A sample of 102 parents of children 3 through 20 years of age with (n = 50) and without (n = 52) disabilities was recruited for this prospective field study. A sub-sample (n = 25) also completed the PEDI-CAT a second time within one month. Parents completed 15 items in each of the four PEDI-CAT domains (daily activities, mobility, social/cognitive, responsibility) using a laptop computer. Following completion, parents answered a four-question user evaluation survey. RESULTS: PEDI-CAT scores based on parent responses differentiated between groups of children with and without disabilities in all four domains. Test-retest reliability estimates were high (ICC = 0.96-0.99) for all four domains. The mean time to complete 60 items for the full sample (n = 102) was 12.66 minutes (SD = 4.47). Parents reported favorable reactions to the PEDI-CAT. CONCLUSIONS: The PEDI-CAT offers a valid and reliable assessment acceptable to parents.


Subject(s)
Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods , Disability Evaluation , Disabled Children , Psychological Tests/standards , Activities of Daily Living , Adolescent , Attitude to Health , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Parents , Pediatrics , Prospective Studies , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Time Factors , Young Adult
8.
Dev Med Child Neurol ; 53(12): 1100-6, 2011 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22077695

ABSTRACT

AIM: The aims of the study were to: (1) build new item banks for a revised version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) with four content domains: daily activities, mobility, social/cognitive, and responsibility; and (2) use post-hoc simulations based on the combined normative and disability calibration samples to assess the accuracy and precision of the PEDI computer-adaptive tests (PEDI-CAT) compared with the administration of all items. METHOD: Parents of typically developing children (n = 2205) and parents of children and adolescents with disabilities (n = 703) between the ages of 0 and 21 years, stratified by age and sex, participated by responding to PEDI-CAT surveys through an existing Internet opt-in survey panel in the USA and by computer tablets in clinical sites. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses supported four unidimensional content domains. Scores using the real data post hoc demonstrated excellent accuracy (intraclass correlation coefficients ≥ 0.95) with the full item banks. Simulations using item parameter estimates demonstrated relatively small bias in the 10-item and 15-item CAT versions; error was generally higher at the scale extremes. INTERPRETATION: These results suggest the PEDI-CAT can be an accurate and precise assessment of children's daily performance at all functional levels.


Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living/psychology , Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods , Disabled Children , Psychological Tests/standards , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Health Surveys , Humans , Male , Pediatrics/methods , Psychometrics/methods , Young Adult
9.
Pediatr Phys Ther ; 22(1): 69-75, 2010.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20142708

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to review the innovations, applications, and effect of the original Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) published in 1992 and to describe planned revisions. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: During the past decade, the PEDI has helped to shift thinking from a developmental to a functional focus. Using the PEDI, researchers and clinicians worldwide have highlighted variations in functional skill acquisition in clinical populations, the importance of recognizing cultural differences, and the value of documenting functional progress in relation to interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The PEDI has had a rich tradition in helping to document functional development. New methods are proposed for the next generation of the PEDI by using item banks and computer adaptive testing. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: The computer adaptive testing feature and the revised and expanded content of the new PEDI will enable therapists to more efficiently assess children's functioning to a broader age group of children.


Subject(s)
Disability Evaluation , Disabled Children , Physical Therapy Modalities/organization & administration , Activities of Daily Living , Child , Child Development , Computer Systems , Cultural Competency , Humans , Treatment Outcome
10.
Qual Life Res ; 18(4): 461-71, 2009 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19288222

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) item banks may need to be updated, but before new items can be added, they must be linked to the previous CAT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate 41 pretest items prior to including them into an operational CAT. METHODS: We recruited 6,882 patients with spine, lower extremity, upper extremity, and nonorthopedic impairments who received outpatient rehabilitation in one of 147 clinics across 13 states of the USA. Forty-one new Daily Activity (DA) items were administered along with the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care Daily Activity CAT (DA-CAT-1) in five separate waves. We compared the scoring consistency with the full item bank, test information function (TIF), person standard errors (SEs), and content range of the DA-CAT-1 to the new CAT (DA-CAT-2) with the pretest items by real data simulations. RESULTS: We retained 29 of the 41 pretest items. Scores from the DA-CAT-2 were more consistent (ICC = 0.90 versus 0.96) than DA-CAT-1 when compared with the full item bank. TIF and person SEs were improved for persons with higher levels of DA functioning, and ceiling effects were reduced from 16.1% to 6.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Item response theory and online calibration methods were valuable in improving the DA-CAT.


Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Disability Evaluation , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/methods , Surveys and Questionnaires , User-Computer Interface , Adult , Aged , Cohort Studies , Computer-Assisted Instruction , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged
11.
Int J Rehabil Res ; 31(3): 257-60, 2008 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18708850

ABSTRACT

Our objectives were to examine the proportion of children who achieved a minimally important difference (MID) in physical function during inpatient rehabilitation and to identify factors related to achievement of MID. For a consecutive series of 452 inpatient admissions to a pediatric rehabilitation hospital in the northeastern United States, change scores were calculated by subtracting Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) self-care and mobility functional skills and caregiver assistance admission scores from discharge scores and then evaluated for MID. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the contributions of demographic and clinical variables as predictors of MID for each PEDI scale. More than 55% of the children achieved MID. The highest proportion of children achieving MID was in mobility functional skills (78%) and caregiver assistance (67%). Children who were older at admission (>10 years) had a greater chance of achieving MID on all scales. In addition, associated with achieving MID were longer length of stay, lower admission PEDI score, and a diagnosis of brain injury. More than half of all children admitted achieved MID in physical function. In this pediatric inpatient rehabilitation center, older children with brain injury who have low functional abilities at admission, and are able to extend their length of stay for a safe, planned discharge are most likely to achieve MID. Identifying children who are most likely to make functional progress can help program administrators and clinicians set realistic functional goals and expectations for an episode of inpatient care.


Subject(s)
Disability Evaluation , Disabled Children/rehabilitation , Hospitalization , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Age Factors , Brain Injuries/rehabilitation , Caregivers , Child , Female , Humans , Length of Stay , Logistic Models , Male , Recovery of Function , Spinal Cord Injuries/rehabilitation
12.
J Pediatr Rehabil Med ; 1(2): 137-43, 2008.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21791757

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine bronchoscopy findings for children and young adults with long-term tracheostomies due to congenital anomalies and neurological impairment and identify characteristics associated with abnormal bronchoscopic findings. We conducted a retrospective study of 128 bronchoscopy cases (81 children) at a pediatric rehabilitation center. Thirty-eight cases (30%) had normal findings and 14 children (17% of all children) were decannulated following bronchoscopy. Ninety cases (70% of cases) had abnormal findings (e.g. granulomas, airway inflammation, fixed obstruction). An acute indication for bronchoscopy was the strongest predictor of an abnormal finding, while age (younger) and diagnosis (multiple congenital anomalies (MCA)) also were associated with abnormalities. For a subsample of children undergoing bronchoscopy for routine surveillance (n= 90), underlying diagnosis (MCA) was the strongest predictor of an abnormal finding, while younger age contributed slightly. These findings add to the limited literature describing bronchoscopic findings in children and youth with tracheostomies due to congenital anomalies or neurological impairment. These findings may be useful for rehabilitation clinicians in determining care needs for children with long-term tracheostomy.

13.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil ; 87(9): 1223-9, 2006 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16935059

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the measurement efficiency and precision of a multidimensional computer adaptive testing (M-CAT) application to a unidimensional CAT (U-CAT) comparison using item bank data from 2 of the functional skills scales of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI). DESIGN: Using existing PEDI mobility and self-care item banks, we compared the stability of item calibrations and model fit between unidimensional and multidimensional Rasch models and compared the efficiency and precision of the U-CAT- and M-CAT-simulated assessments to a random draw of items. SETTING: Pediatric rehabilitation hospital and clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Clinical and normative samples. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Not applicable. RESULTS: The M-CAT had greater levels of precision and efficiency than the separate mobility and self-care U-CAT versions when using a similar number of items for each PEDI subdomain. Equivalent estimation of mobility and self-care scores can be achieved with a 25% to 40% item reduction with the M-CAT compared with the U-CAT. CONCLUSIONS: M-CAT applications appear to have both precision and efficiency advantages compared with separate U-CAT assessments when content subdomains have a high correlation. Practitioners may also realize interpretive advantages of reporting test score information for each subdomain when separate clinical inferences are desired.


Subject(s)
Disability Evaluation , Disabled Persons/classification , Pediatrics , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Computers , Disabled Persons/rehabilitation , Efficiency , Humans , Infant , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Psychometrics , Self Care
14.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil ; 85(12): 2030-5, 2004 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15605343

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine the structure and content coverage of an item pool of new items based on the Activity categories from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and items from existing instruments to measure the applied cognition dimension of function. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Four postacute care rehabilitation settings (inpatient, transitional care, home care, outpatient) in an urban-suburban area of northeast United States. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of 477 patients (mean age, 62.7 y) receiving rehabilitation services for neurologic, orthopedic, or complex medical conditions. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were administered applied cognition items from the new Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care, the Medical Outcomes Study 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and an additional setting-specific measure: the FIM instrument (inpatient rehabilitation); the Minimum Data Set (skilled nursing facility); the Minimum Data Set-Post Acute Care (postacute settings); or the Outcome Assessment and Information Set (home care). Rasch (partial-credit model) analyses were conducted to examine item fit, item coverage, scale unidimensionality, and category difficulty estimates. RESULTS: The majority of items (46/59) could be located along a single continuum. Relatively few people were performing at the lower end of the difficulty scale, and about 25% were at ceiling. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed definition of applied cognition dimension provides a useful guide for item development to measure this dimension. Further work is needed to determine how best to measure function in this domain for people at the upper and lower ends of the continuum.


Subject(s)
Cognition , Disabled Persons/rehabilitation , Health Status Indicators , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Massachusetts , Middle Aged , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/methods , Prospective Studies
15.
Phys Ther ; 84(3): 232-42, 2004 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-14984295

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Evidence to guide physical therapist prognosis for recovery of the ability to ambulate in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is limited. The aim of this study was to delineate a predictive model and determine the value of key demographic and clinical variables in establishing a prognosis for ambulation without the assistance of a device or person over 15.24 m on a flat, level surface following inpatient rehabilitation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: For this retrospective study, a consecutive series of 95 children and adolescents with TBI (aged 2-18 years) admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation program was assessed using information from medical records. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors for ambulation at the time of discharge from the rehabilitation setting. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of the children achieved ambulation at discharge. Lower-extremity hypertonicity (measured on physical therapist examination as resistance to passive stretch), brain injury severity, and lower-extremity injury together were predictors of the ability to ambulate. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Impairment and injury-related variables were important in predicting a minimal level of unassisted ambulation after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Awareness of predictors of recovery of the ability to ambulate that are gathered as part of a physical therapist's examination may assist in developing a prognosis for ambulation and in establishment of an appropriate plan of care.


Subject(s)
Brain Injuries/rehabilitation , Physical Therapy Modalities , Walking , Adolescent , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Inpatients , Logistic Models , Male , Patient Discharge , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Sex Factors
16.
Med Care ; 42(1 Suppl): I49-61, 2004 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-14707755

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of a broad range of postacute care services have been hindered by the lack of conceptually sound and comprehensive measures of outcomes. It is critical to determine a common underlying structure before employing current methods of item equating across outcome instruments for future item banking and computer-adaptive testing applications. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factor structure, reliability, and scale properties of items underlying the Activity domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) for use in postacute care outcome measurement. METHODS: We developed a 41-item Activity Measure for Postacute Care (AM-PAC) that assessed an individual's execution of discrete daily tasks in his or her own environment across major content domains as defined by the ICF. We evaluated the reliability and discriminant validity of the prototype AM-PAC in 477 individuals in active rehabilitation programs across 4 rehabilitation settings using factor analyses, tests of item scaling, internal consistency reliability analyses, Rasch item response theory modeling, residual component analysis, and modified parallel analysis. RESULTS: Results from an initial exploratory factor analysis produced 3 distinct, interpretable factors that accounted for 72% of the variance: Applied Cognition (44%), Personal Care & Instrumental Activities (19%), and Physical & Movement Activities (9%); these 3 activity factors were verified by a confirmatory factor analysis. Scaling assumptions were met for each factor in the total sample and across diagnostic groups. Internal consistency reliability was high for the total sample (Cronbach alpha = 0.92 to 0.94), and for specific diagnostic groups (Cronbach alpha = 0.90 to 0.95). Rasch scaling, residual factor, differential item functioning, and modified parallel analyses supported the unidimensionality and goodness of fit of each unique activity domain. CONCLUSIONS: This 3-factor model of the AM-PAC can form the conceptual basis for common-item equating and computer-adaptive applications, leading to a comprehensive system of outcome instruments for postacute care settings.


Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living/classification , Aftercare/standards , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/methods , Rehabilitation/standards , Self Efficacy , Sickness Impact Profile , Activities of Daily Living/psychology , Adult , Aftercare/statistics & numerical data , Aged , Boston , Cognition/physiology , Disability Evaluation , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Movement/physiology , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Psychometrics , Rehabilitation/statistics & numerical data , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Surveys and Questionnaires/standards
17.
Med Care ; 42(1 Suppl): I62-72, 2004 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-14707756

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation outcome measures routinely include content on performance of daily activities; however, the conceptual basis for item selection is rarely specified. These instruments differ significantly in format, number, and specificity of daily activity items and in the measurement dimensions and type of scale used to specify levels of performance. We propose that a requirement for upper limb and hand skills underlies many activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) items in current instruments, and that items selected based on this definition can be placed along a single functional continuum. OBJECTIVE: To examine the dimensional structure and content coverage of a Personal Care and Instrumental Activities item set and to examine the comparability of items from existing instruments and a set of new items as measures of this domain. METHODS: Participants (N = 477) from 3 different disability groups and 4 settings representing the continuum of postacute rehabilitation care were administered the newly developed Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC), the SF-8, and an additional setting-specific measure: FIM (in-patient rehabilitation); MDS (skilled nursing facility); MDS-PAC (postacute settings); OASIS (home care); or PF-10 (outpatient clinic). Rasch (partial-credit model) analyses were conducted on a set of 62 items covering the Personal Care and Instrumental domain to examine item fit, item functioning, and category difficulty estimates and unidimensionality. RESULTS: After removing 6 misfitting items, the remaining 56 items fit acceptably along the hypothesized continuum. Analyses yielded different difficulty estimates for the maximum score (eg, "Independent performance") for items with comparable content from different instruments. Items showed little differential item functioning across age, diagnosis, or severity groups, and 92% of the participants fit the model. CONCLUSIONS: ADL and IADL items from existing rehabilitation outcomes instruments that depend on skilled upper limb and hand use can be located along a single continuum, along with the new personal care and instrumental items of the AM-PAC addressing gaps in content. Results support the validity of the proposed definition of the Personal Care and Instrumental Activities dimension of function as a guide for future development of rehabilitation outcome instruments, such as linked, setting-specific short forms and computerized adaptive testing approaches.


Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living/classification , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/methods , Rehabilitation/standards , Self Efficacy , Sickness Impact Profile , Surveys and Questionnaires/standards , Activities of Daily Living/psychology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Disability Evaluation , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Recovery of Function/physiology , Rehabilitation/statistics & numerical data , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity
18.
Pediatr Pulmonol ; 35(4): 280-7, 2003 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12629625

ABSTRACT

Rates of oxygen and ventilator weaning, and factors related to successful weaning in inpatient pediatric pulmonary programs for infants and young children, have not been frequently reported in the literature. A retrospective review was conducted of 34 infants and toddlers with either a diagnostic condition of prematurity (PM) or congenital anomalies/neuromuscular disease (CA/NM) discharged from an inpatient pulmonary program. These cases represent 67 hospital admission-discharge episodes over a 6-year period. The rate of successful oxygen weaning (decrease to 0 hr per day) and ventilator weaning (decrease to <12 hr per day) and predictive factors related to successful ventilator weaning per admission-discharge episode were examined. Successful oxygen weaning was achieved during 24% and successful ventilator weaning was achieved during 30% of the admission-discharge episodes. No significant relationships were found between the selected demographic and clinical factors and oxygen weaning. Using a logistic regression model, the major variable associated with successful ventilator weaning per admission-discharge episode was diagnostic condition. Age at admission and the presence of comorbidities added slightly to the prediction model. The overall model yielded 86% accuracy for predicting a decrease in ventilator hours. However, projecting in which episodes children will not be weaned (negative predictive value = 88.9%) was more accurate than projecting in which episodes children will be weaned (positive predictive value = 73.3%). Although the program achieved a relatively low rate of successful ventilator weaning, children with a diagnostic condition of prematurity were more likely to be successfully weaned during inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation.


Subject(s)
Oxygen Inhalation Therapy , Respiratory Insufficiency/therapy , Ventilator Weaning , Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/therapy , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature , Infant, Premature, Diseases/therapy , Logistic Models , Male , Predictive Value of Tests , Retrospective Studies
19.
Childs Nerv Syst ; 19(2): 114-8, 2003 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12607031

ABSTRACT

METHODS: A consecutive series of 107 children and young persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) admitted to a hospital-based inpatient rehabilitation program was assessed to determine whether lower extremity spasticity could be utilized as an early clinical marker for recovery of ambulation. Presence of spasticity was determined by clinical examination at admission, and the ability to ambulate safely indoors (15.24 m) was evaluated at discharge. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for spasticity were calculated. RESULTS: Lower extremity spasticity is a sensitive (71.4%) and specific (81.5%) predictor of the inability to ambulate at discharge. The absence of lower extremity spasticity, however, was a better predictor of ambulation recovery than the presence of spasticity was a predictor of nonambulatory status at hospital discharge. DISCUSSION: Implications for spasticity assessment and prognosis in terms of ambulation and recovery are discussed.


Subject(s)
Brain Injuries/rehabilitation , Lower Extremity/physiopathology , Muscle Spasticity/physiopathology , Adolescent , Adult , Brain Injuries/physiopathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Length of Stay , Male , Neurologic Examination , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Predictive Value of Tests , Recovery of Function , Rehabilitation Centers , Sensitivity and Specificity , Severity of Illness Index
20.
Am J Phys Med Rehabil ; 81(9): 661-9, 2002 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12172518

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in functional status of children with traumatic brain injury by identifying the pattern and amount of change between and within the domains of self-care, mobility, and social function during inpatient rehabilitation and to examine the relationships of age and injury severity to functional recovery. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study. Seventy-nine children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury were assessed at inpatient rehabilitation hospital admission and discharge by using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory's (PEDI) functional skills and caregiver assistance domains of self-care, mobility, and social function. RESULTS: Admission self-care functional levels were significantly greater than mobility and social function for both PEDI scales. At discharge, significant improvement was noted within all three domains and the amount of change between domains was significantly greater for the mobility domain on both scales. Age was not related to the amount of recovery. Admission functional status was moderately negatively correlated to the change in PEDI scores (ranging from r = -0.432 to -0.681). CONCLUSIONS: Variations exist in the recovery of self-care, mobility, and social function capability and independence during inpatient rehabilitation. Self-care was the least affected. Participants showed significant improvement in all domains, with the most recovery in mobility. Children with greater functional deficits demonstrated greater functional gains.


Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Brain Injuries/rehabilitation , Locomotion , Recovery of Function , Self Care , Social Adjustment , Adolescent , Brain Injuries/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Disability Evaluation , Disabled Children , Female , Humans , Male , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Retrospective Studies , Severity of Illness Index , Time Factors
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