title: The inter-rater reliability and validity of self-report of risk factors for cumulative trauma disorders within the hand therapist population - a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVES: This study examined the validity of hand therapists' self-report of cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) risk factors by comparing the self-report to observations performed by the raters. Inter-rater reliability was also analyzed between the raters who observed the hand therapists. STUDY DESIGN: Two raters simultaneously observed each hand therapist during a splinting task at a therapy facility. Following this task, the raters and the hand therapist independently completed an identical assessment tool. Thirteen therapists were observed and a total of six raters observed the therapists. Responses from two categories of the self-assessment, "posture" and "mechanical stress", were compared. Percentage of agreement was calculated by dividing the number of like responses by the total number of possible responses for each category. RESULTS: Overall inter-rater reliability was 72%, significantly above the accepted minimum standard of 60-70%, and validity was 39%, significantly below the accepted minimum. CONCLUSION: The high percentage of inter-rater reliability established consistency and accuracy among the raters in their observations. However, the low percentage of validity should prompt hand therapists to investigate the accuracy of a patient's self-report before relying on it for treatment.
authors.affiliation: University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Mindy Dargart
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Doner-Galle
authors.forename: Kim McFaul
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chiappetta
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Lucinda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dale