Psychometric properties of Upper-body Dressing Scale in people with stroke

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the psychometric properties of the Upper-Body Dressing Scale (UBDS), a tool for evaluating upper-body dressing performance in stroke patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Subjects: Seventy-six chronic stroke patients and 49 healthy older adults. Methods: UBDS, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUGT), Limit of Stability (LOS) test, Motor Activity Log (MAL-30), Arm Activity Measure (AAM), 12-item Short Form Health Survey, and Community Integration Measure – Cantonese version were assessed Results: UBDS time and UBDS score demonstrated good to excellent inter-rater and test-retest reliabilities for chronic stroke patients (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.759–1.000). UBDS time correlated significantly with FMA Upper and Lower Extremity, WMFT, and BBS scores, TUGT time, LOS Movement Velocity (affected side), LOS Maximal Excursion (composite), MAL-30 Amount of Use and Quality of Movement (affected side), and AAM (section B) scores (r = –0.61 to 0.63). The minimal detectable changes in UBDS time and UBDS score were 28.67 s and 0, respectively. The cut-off UBDS time and UBDS score were 37.67 s and 7.50, respectively. Conclusion: UBDS time is a reliable, sensitive, and specific measurement for assessing upper-body dressing performance in chronic stroke patients. LAY ABSTRACT The skill of upper body dressing is an important component of activities of daily living in people with stroke. However, there are many limitations in current outcome measures to assess upper-body dressing performance. The Upper-Body Dressing Scale was developed to evaluate upper-body dressing performance. The objectives of this study were to investigate the inter-rater, test–retest reliabilities, and minimal detectable changes (MDCs) of Upper-Body Dressing Scale time and Upper-Body Dressing Scale score for chronic stroke patients, the correlations of Upper-Body Dressing Scale time and Upper-Body Dressing Scale score with stroke-specific outcome measures, and the cut-off Upper-Body Dressing Scale time and Upper-Body Dressing Scale score for distinguishing upper-body dressing performance of stroke survivors from that of healthy older adults. The Upper-Body Dressing Scale time and Upper-Body Dressing Scale score demonstrated good to excellent inter-rater and test–retest reliabilities for chronic stroke patients. Upper-Body Dressing Scale time correlated significantly with stroke-specific outcome measures. Thus, Upper-Body Dressing Scale time is a reliable, sensitive, and specific measurement for assessing upper-body dressing performance in chronic stroke patients.