Interrater reliability of neurologic soft signs in an acquired brain injury population.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the interrater reliability of a battery of tests that assess for neurologic soft signs in an acquired brain injury population.


METHODS
Correlation study of the battery's interrater reliability.


METHODS
Inpatient and outpatient acquired brain injury rehabilitation program.


METHODS
Fourteen patients with an acquired brain injury and two control subjects.


METHODS
The battery of tests for neurologic soft signs was administered to all 16 subjects. Each subject was videotaped. Fifteen "nonexpert" allied health professionals independently rated the subjects' performances. Two scoring systems were used. All neurologic soft signs were rated on an ordinal scale, and, where possible, a quantitative measure of performance was recorded.


RESULTS
Using the ordinal scale scoring system, all neurologic soft signs had interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of > or =.60. The signs "Two-Point Discrimination" and "Go-No-Go part 1 and part 2" achieved ICCs of > or = .75. For the scoring system requiring a quantitative measure of performance, ICCs ranged from .18 to .97.


CONCLUSIONS
Neurologic soft signs administered to an acquired brain injury population can be reliably rated by "nonexpert" clinicians. The signs should be rated on an ordinal scale.
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.
C A
CA
Masanic
M T
MT
Bayley
D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011594:Psychometrics