Psychometric Properties of Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test in an Italian Population with Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of upper limb function is critical in the rehabilitation process of people with Parkinson's Disease (PD), and universally validated outcome measures are needed to allow comparisons across the practice. Moreover, the study of psychometric properties of the same tool on different clinical populations guarantees the possibility of reliably evaluating the same rehabilitation treatment in people with different clinical conditions. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this research was to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Italian adaptation of the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT) in individuals with PD. METHODS: The reliability and validity of the test were assessed in accordance with international standards. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability was determined via the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The construct validity and cross-cultural validity of the test were evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient with three assessment tools on upper limb function, independence, and quality of life, with hand grip power measured by a dynamometer and an Italian pangram. Finally, responsiveness after a one month of rehabilitation treatment was measured using the Wilcoxon rank test. RESULTS: Fifty-two Italian people with PD were recruited. Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.556 (non-dominant hand) to 0.668 (dominant hand); ICC values ranged from 0.754 to 0.988. Construct validity showed that several statistically significant correlations were detected. Wilcoxon's test showed that the assessment tool can detect a change in this population after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The JTHFT is a reliable, valid, and respondent tool to evaluate the upper limb and hand functionalities in PD patients. It should be added to the toolkit for measuring upper limb performance in this population, adding value to clinical evaluation and ensuring comparable results for different clinical populations and different countries.

Psychometric properties of the Parkinson's disease Questionnaire-39 and its short form Parkinson's disease Questionnaire-8: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Parkinson's disease (PD) affects Quality of Life (QoL), since it is responsible for cognitive impairment, non-motor, and motor symptoms. Outcome measures are fundamental for evaluating treatment's effect on QoL over time. This systematic review aimed to identify the psychometric properties of PDQ-39 and PDQ-8 in the different populations in which they were validated. The electronic databases systematically searched are MEDLINE (via PubMed), CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Web of Science; the research was conducted in July 2023. The psychometric properties considered were those of the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist. Risk of bias was assessed using the COSMIN checklist. The search identified 1306 articles. 398 duplicates were eliminated; 908 articles were analyzed reading title and abstract; 799 were finally excluded because used PDQ-39 and PDQ-8 as outcome measures or were not dealing with psychometric properties; 66 articles were excluded after reading the full text. 43 articles were included in the review; meta-analysis showed all the Cronbach's alpha values were statistically significant for all the subscales of PDQ-39 and PDQ-8. PDQ-39 demonstrated to be a specific HRQoL questionnaire that is correlated with generic HRQoL questionnaires, in fact in many studies included in the review, correlations with SF-36 were found. In the last studies about psychometric properties of PDQ-8 emerged that it is a practical and informative instrument that can be easily used in clinical settings, especially in busy ones, but also in large-scale studies in which a brief instrument would be preferred.

Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians-Italian Version (MPIIQM-IT): Multicenter Validation, Translation and Cultural Adaptation.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and test the psychometric properties of the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians (MPIIQM) in an Italian population of professional and amateur musicians. METHODS: The translation and cultural adaptation process followed international guidelines, while the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were assessed against the COSMIN checklist. The internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's alpha (a) coefficient. Construct validity was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with principal axis factoring (PAF) extraction. The sample adequacy and data suitability were assessed through the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett's sphericity tests, respectively. Concurrent validity was analyzed by assessing Pearson's correlation coefficient with the Italian version of the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ-I). Finally, the cross-cultural validity was investigated by analyzing score differences between amateur and professional musicians, and differences based on musical practice habits. RESULTS: The tool was administered to 311 subjects recruited from across Italy. The MPIIQM-IT was found to have high levels of internal consistency for the entire tool and each of the two subscales (Cronbach's a = 0.875, 0.877, and 0.845, respectively). The recruited sample was found to be adequate (KMO = 0.810) and the data suitable (C2 = 341.040, p < 0.001) for factor analysis, which produced 9 items contained in two main factors. Pearson's correlation coefficients showed a positive, statistically significant correlation between the MSK-HQ-I and the two subscales of the MPIIQM-IT with p < 0.01. Analysis of Student's t-test for independent samples and the ANOVA test for continuous variables showed statistically significant differences between male and female, professional and non-professional musicians, and conservatory and non-conservatory students. CONCLUSIONS: The MPIIQM-IT is a valid and reliable tool, useful for investigating the presence of pain and playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) in both professional and non-professional musicians.

Evaluation instruments for executive functions in children and adolescents: an update of a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to update a systematic review of instruments for evaluating the executive functions (EFs) in a pediatric population to assess their measurement properties. AREA COVERED: Studies describing evaluation tools of EFs were systematically searched on four electronic databases: PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus, and Web of Science. To be included studies had to be on a population aged 0 to 18 were included. The individuals were either healthy or presented a neurodevelopment disorder. Risk of Bias was evaluated through the Consensus-based Standards to select the health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). EXPERT OPINION: The search was conducted on April 2023. Eighty-four papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study; the studies refer to 72 different evaluation tools of EFs. Most of the studies analyzed through a methodological quality analysis received an 'adequate' score. The instrument most mentioned was the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 (BRIEF2) in seven articles.

Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q-IT) in people with Parkinson disease: a validity and reliability study.

INTRODUCTION: Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a challenging clinical symptom to assess, due to its episodic nature. A valid and reliable tool is the New FOG Questionnaire (NFOG-Q) used worldwide to measure FOG symptoms in PD. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to translate, to culturally adapt, and to test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the NFOG-Q (NFOG-Q-It). METHODS: The translation and cultural adaptation was based on ISPOR TCA guidelines to finalize the 9-item NFOG-Q-It. Internal consistency was assessed in 181 Italian PD native speakers who experienced FOG using Cronbach's alpha. Cross-cultural analysis was tested using the Spearman's correlation between the NFOG-Q-It and the Modified Hoehn-Yahr Scale (M-H&Y). To assess construct validity, correlations among NFOG-Q-It, Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), the 6-min Walking Test (6MWT), the Mini Balance Evaluation System Test (Mini-BESTest) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were investigated. RESULTS: The Italian N-FOGQ had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.859). Validity analysis showed significant correlations between NFOG-Q-IT total score and M-H&Y scores (r = 0.281 p < 0.001), MDS-UPDRS (r = 0.359 p < 0.001), FES-I (r = 0.230 p = 0.002), Mini BESTest (r = -0.256 p = 0.001) and 6MWT (r = -0.166 p = 0.026). No significant correlations were found with SPPB, MOCA and MMSE. CONCLUSION: The NFOG-It is a valuable and reliable tool for assessing FOG symptoms, duration and frequency in PD subjects. Results provide the validity of NFOG-Q-It by reproducing and enlarging previous psychometric data.

Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the perceptions of empowerment in midwifery practice scale-revised (PEMS-R-IT) in midwives.

INTRODUCTION: A higher degree of midwives' empowerment is associated with greater job satisfaction and better midwifery care outcomes for women and their families. Empowered midwives are able to better empower women who in turn have a positive influence on the midwives' empowerment. The aim of this study was the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the perceptions of empowerment in midwifery scale-revised (PEMS-R) in a group of Italian midwives. METHODS: The World Health Organization (WHO) method was adopted to achieve the PEMS-R Italian version. This process involved five steps: 1) forward translation, 2) expert panel translation, 3) back-translation, 4) pre-testing and cognitive interviewing, and 5) final version. The test's internal consistency and validity were assessed by following international guidelines. Internal consistency was examined through Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient. RESULTS: The PEMS-R-IT was administered to 147 Italian midwives from northern Italy. Factor analysis of the 19 items, extracted 4 factors that explained 74.96% of the variance. The Student's t-test for independent samples was used to identify a possible correlation between a higher/lower perception of empowerment and: 1) the education level, and 2) the years of experience of recruited midwives. No statistically significant differences were obtained in either case. The PEMS-R-IT was found to have a good internal consistency for each of its 4 subscales. CONCLUSIONS: The PEMS-R-IT is a valid and reliable tool, useful to assess midwives' empowerment. It can be used in both clinical practice and research in order to investigate the level of empowerment of midwives within the Italian national context.

Effects of Mirror Neurons-Based Rehabilitation Techniques in Hand Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Hand trauma requires specific rehabilitation protocol depending on the different structures involved. According to type of surgical intervention, and for monitoring pain and edema, post-operative rehabilitation of a hand that has experienced trauma involves different timings for immobilization. Several protocols have been used to reduce immobilization time, and various techniques and methods are adopted, depending on the structures involved. Objective: To measure the effects of mirror neurons-based rehabilitation techniques in hand injuries throughout a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The protocol was accepted in PROSPERO database. A literature search was conducted in Cinahl, Scopus, Medline, PEDro, OTseeker. Two authors independently identified eligible studies, based on predefined inclusion criteria, and extracted the data. RCT quality was assessed using the JADAD scale. Results: Seventy-nine suitable studies were screened, and only eleven were included for qualitative synthesis, while four studies were selected for quantitative analysis. Four studies were case reports/series, and seven were RCTs. Nine investigate the effect of Mirror Therapy and two the effect of Motor Imagery. Quantitative analyses revealed Mirror Therapy as effective for hand function recovery (mean difference = −14.80 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = −17.22, −12.38) (p < 0.00001) in the short term, as well as in long follow-up groups (mean difference = −13.11 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = −17.53, −8.69) (p < 0.00001). Clinical, but not statistical, efficacy was found for manual dexterity (p = 0.15), while no benefit was reported for range of motion. Conclusions: Mirror neurons-based rehabilitation techniques, combined with conventional occupational and physical therapy, can be a useful approach in hand trauma. Mirror therapy seems to be effective for hand function recovery, but, for motor imagery and action observation, there is not sufficient evidence to recommend its use. Further research on the efficacy of the mirror neurons-based technique in hand injury is recommended.

Psychometric properties of the Community Integration Questionnaire - Revised (CIQ-R) in an Italian population with spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Psychometric study. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the internal consistency and validity of the Community Integration Questionnaire - Revised (CIQ-R) in Italian individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Patients' associations, foundations, sport clubs, and federations in Italy. METHODS: The psychometric properties were evaluated following international guidelines. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient, and test-retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC); concurrent validity was assessed through Pearson's Correlation Coefficient with the Short Form-12 health survey (SF-12). RESULTS: The test was administered to 80 people with SCI. Cronbach's α showed a value of 0.825 for the Home Integration subscale, while the other subscales and the total showed values <0.70. 30 of the 80 recruited individuals were submitted to test-retest, which showed ICC values ranging from 0.94 to 1. CIQ-R also showed a correlation between Physical Component Summary (PCS12) of the SF-12, and between Social Integration subscale's score and PCS12 and Mental Component Summary (MCS12). Correlations are also shown between Productivity subscale and PCS12 and MCS12, as well as between the total score and PCS12 and MCS12. CONCLUSION: This study provided Italian clinicians and researchers with the first international outcome measure for measuring community integration. The validation of this measurement tool for people with SCI allows to compare outcomes of various studies. It is useful for testing the effectiveness of a treatment in various diseases and define which treatment is more effective than others.

Development of the Pregnancy and Motherhood Evaluation Questionnaire (PMEQ) for evaluating and measuring the impact of physical disability on pregnancy and the management of motherhood: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire that allows researchers to investigate and measure the impact of physical disability on pregnancy and the management of motherhood. Such a questionnaire requires good internal consistency. METHODS: The tool was developed following a study conducted in 2013 in the United States consisting of a semi-structured interview with open-ended questions. A team of three experts drafted and refined the questions, generating 31 retrospective, self-rated, and predefined questions (answered using a 5-point Likert scale). A statistical analysis of the instrument was also included, to assess its reliability and internal consistency. RESULTS: The Pregnancy and Motherhood Evaluation Questionnaire (PMEQ) was prepared. It is a self-administered questionnaire consisting of an initial section and three subscales. In this phase of the study, 35 women with different pathologies leading to physical disability were recruited and completed the questionnaire. The PMEQ was found to have a good internal consistency. Cronbach's α was 0.812 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The PMEQ has proven to be a valid, reliable, and rapid administrative tool useful for investigating and measuring the impact of physical disability on the management of pregnancy and motherhood.IMPLICATION FOR REHABILITATIONThis study provides researchers and clinicians a new tool for the evaluation of motherhood and pregnancy in women with physical disabilities.The PMEQ has proven to be a valid, reliable, and rapid administrative tool (10 min) useful for investigating and measuring the impact of physical disability on the management of pregnancy and motherhood.It is a new tool useful in both clinical and research practice to underline the importance of carrying out preventive and woman-centered assistance interventions.This tool is useful for promoting the autonomous management of pregnancy and motherhood in women with physical disabilities, and improving these women's quality of life and sense of satisfaction and competence in managing maternal tasks.

Criterion Validity and Reliability of SF-12 Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2) in a Student Population during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, led to strict domestic quarantine, social isolation policies, and consequently significant psycho-emotional and lifestyle changes. The individual and societal fear and anxiety cause significant stress affecting health-related quality of life (HRQOL). There is evidence of the psychological and mental health effects of the current pandemic on students, who are known to be a vulnerable population. A decrease in physical activity was reported among students, and it is known to contribute to stress levels, which is strongly associated with HRQOL. This study is aimed at evaluating the validity and reliability of SF-12 Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2) in the assessment of self-perceived quality of life of Italian students following lifestyle changes due to the outbreak of COVID-19. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with university students attending the faculty of Medicine and Surgery or Health Professions. The Physical Component Summary (PCS12) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS12) of SF-12v2 were compared to the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient. Concurrent validity was evaluated comparing SF-12v2 values to PSS scores, and the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) was calculated. Cross-cultural validity was investigated through several analyses for correlations between SF-12v2 scores and the gender of participants, University of Italy, body mass index (BMI), and time spent sitting and exercising. RESULTS: The SF-12v2 questionnaire was administered to 583 medical and health professionals' students in July 2020. Cronbach's Alpha showed acceptable reliability for PCS12 and MCS12. In line with expectations, PCS12 scores differed by BMI groups, while the MCS12 was associated with PSS score and showed differences between genders, BMI groups, time spent sitting, and time spent exercising. CONCLUSION: The Italian version of SF-12v2 is a valid and reliable instrument to assess health-related quality of life among medical and health professionals' students.

Evaluation instruments for executive functions in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to perform a systematic review of instruments for evaluating the executive functions (EFs) in a pediatric population to assess their measurement properties, focusing on the professional who administers it. AREA COVERED: A systematic search of the literature was performed on Cinahl, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and Medline to identify studies in which an instrument for evaluating the EFs was described. Included only were the papers reporting the evaluation of EFs, with any instrument, on a population aged 0 to 18 consisting of healthy individuals or people with neurodevelopmental disorder. The evaluation of the Risk of Bias has been carried out with the administration of a part of the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) Checklist. EXPERT OPINION: The search ended on the 2nd of August. Only 19 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study; the papers refer to 16 different evaluation tools of the EF. Analysis of the methodological quality shows that most of the papers assessed received an 'inadequate' or 'insufficient' score. Indeed, only two articles received six or five 'sufficient' out of 8 items; instead, ten papers received one or zero 'sufficient.'

Internal consistency and validity of the Italian version of the Jebsen-Taylor hand function test (JTHFT-IT) in people with tetraplegia.

STUDY DESIGN: Psychometric study. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the internal consistency and validity of the Italian version of the Jebsen-Taylor hand function test (JTHFT-IT) in people with tetraplegia. SETTING: Italian spinal units. METHODS: Psychometric properties of the JTHFT-IT were assessed following international guidelines. The internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated for the concurrent validity of JTHFT-IT with a dynamometer, while the construct validity was calculated in comparison to that of the Van Lieshout test short version in Italian (VLT-SV-IT). RESULTS: The test was administered to 48 right-hand dominant people with tetraplegia. Cronbach's alpha calculation resulted in a value of 0.96 for the right hand and 0.94 for the left hand. In terms of the validity of the scale, the Pearson's correlation, as measured in relation to the VLT-SV-IT and dynamometer, showed statistically significant results (range for the correlation coefficient of between -0.96 and -0.12, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support the internal consistency and validity of the JTHFT-IT and its use among a population with cervical SCI as a measure of hand functionality.

Tools to assess the quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical, social, and economic implications of Parkinson's disease (PD) are significant; disability occurs leading to a low quality of life (QoL). Information on the QoL of patients with PD and studies on the relationship between QoL and motor and cognitive function are necessary for both research and clinical use to make informed decisions in healthcare and rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to determine which scales are most used to assess QoL in patients with PD. AREA COVERED: A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Two authors independently identified eligible studies based on predefined inclusion criteria and extracted the data. Study quality and the risk of bias were assessed using the COSMIN checklist. EXPERT OPINION: 116 suitable studies were included, and 42 different instruments were identified. The most frequently used scales were the 39-items and 8-items Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) (PDQ-8). These findings suggest further investigation of existing PD outcome measures would benefit patients, researchers, and clinicians. Validated, universal outcome measures are required to allow comparisons across practice; therefore, we recommend that future researchers use a common set of outcome assessments based on the results of this review.

Athletes with disability' satisfaction with sport wheelchairs: an Italian cross sectional study.

PURPOSE: Physical activity is essential for health and well-being. People with physical disability often experience barriers in performing sports due to the lack of appropriate assistive technologies. The present research aimed to investigate athletes with disability satisfaction when using sports wheelchairs and to explore clinometric properties of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-eight athletes were involved in the present study. Data on sport discipline and wheelchair provision were collected with qualitative approach. Internal consistency and reliability of QUEST were respectively analyzed with Cronbach's Alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Validity was investigated with the correlation of the Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale for Manual users. RESULTS: Results revealed good internal consistency (.858) and moderate inter-rater reliability for service subscale (.664) and for the total score (.675), while for device subscale (.802) reliability was high. Validity revealed moderate correlation (.300) with a p < 0.05. Qualitative analysis highlighted economic barriers as primary social determinant who affect participation in sport activities. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms preliminary evidence of the QUEST for athletes with disability. The research group also recommends an international effort to promote a comprehensive evaluation of sports wheelchair involving rehabilitation professionals, sport technicians and people with disability.Implications for rehabilitationEconomic factors linked to the purchase of a wheelchair seem being the main barrier for practising sportThe Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology is a useful tool to measure athletes' satisfaction using a wheelchairRehabilitation professionals and sport technicians should collaborate together with people with disability in determining how choose appropriate sport wheelchairs.

Measuring Environmental Barriers: Validation and Cultural Adaptation of the Italian Version of the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) Scale.

The study aimed to validate an Italian translation of the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) environmental assessment tool. The CHIEF scale was administered throughout Italy to 506 individuals who did not present with serious and/or disabling diseases. The results show an excellent interrelation between CHIEF scale items and the subscales. Furthermore, our analysis demonstrates that following repeated administration to the same participants, the instrument maintains excellent stability of each subscale for the frequency, magnitude, and impact of the barriers. This study demonstrates that the Italian version of the CHIEF scale is reliable for measuring environmental barriers. The findings show that the scale is suitable for the clinical and research fields to broaden our knowledge about this relevant yet poorly studied field.

Crosscultural Validation of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised in an Italian Population.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised (CIQ-R) in Italian in a group of individuals with no clinical evidence of disability. METHODS: The test's internal consistency and validity were assessed by following international guidelines. The test's internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the test's concurrent validity compared with the Short Form-12 (SF-12) health survey. RESULTS: The CIQ-R was administrated to 400 people with no clinical evidence of disease, impairment, or disability, aged between 18 and 64. Cronbach's α reported a value of 0.82 in the home integration subscale. The test also showed a good test-retest reliability, with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.78, and a significant correlation between the total score of the CIQ-R and the Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-12 (r = 0.118), between the "social integration" subscale's score and PCS12 (r = 0.121) and between the "Electronic Social Networking integration" subscale's score and PCS12 (r = 0.184), with p < 0.05. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report the results of the translation and validation of the CIQ-R in Italian. The CIQ-R is an important tool for Italian professionals and can be useful in both clinical practice and research for measuring the level of community integration among the healthy population.

General Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS-IT) in people with spinal cord injury: a psychometric study.

STUDY DESIGN: Psychometric study. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to analyze the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the General Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS-IT) in a population of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Italy. METHODS: Its reliability was assessed using the Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), while its concurrent validity was assessed using the Pearson's correlation coefficient in relation to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The obtained scores were compared with the cut-off score for the GSDS-IT among a healthy Italian population (38.5). RESULTS: The GSDS-IT was administered to 57 participants with SCI who were recruited from all over Italy. The GSDS-IT was found to have good internal consistency (Cronbach's α of 0.76) and good test-retest reliability (ICC of 0.7), and it showed positive and significant values for all the PSQI domains. Based on the cut-off score of 38.5, 56% of participants tested positive for sleep disturbances upon admission (t0), while among the randomized participants submitted for the test-retest after 24 h (t1), 75% tested positive for sleep disturbances. CONCLUSION: The GSDS-IT is a valid, reliable, and time-efficient tool for measuring sleep disturbances over the past week in a population with SCI.