Development and validation of a scale for rating motor compensations used for reaching in patients with hemiparesis: the reaching performance scale.
OBJECTIVE
Recent movement analysis studies have described compensatory movement strategies used by people with hemiparesis secondary to stroke during reaching and grasping tasks. The purpose of this article is to describe the development of a new scale--the Reaching Performance Scale (RPS)--for assessing compensatory movements for upper-extremity reaching in people with hemiparesis secondary to stroke.


METHODS
Twenty-eight individuals with hemiparesis, with a mean age of 54.9 years (SD=18.6), participated.


METHODS
The study design involved scale development with expert panels and criterion standards for validity. Participants were evaluated on the new scale as well as other clinical tests for validity. They were videotaped while performing reaching and grasping movements.


RESULTS
The RPS scores correlated with measurements of grip force and Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment and Upper Extremity Performance Test for the Elderly (TEMPA) scores. The RPS discriminated patients with different impairment levels according to the Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment. Preliminary intrarater and interrater reliability coefficients were acceptable for the whole scale. Mean kappa values on individual scale components for 3 raters represented a mean of 67% (SD=13.5%) agreement.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the RPS shows some types of validity, more rigorous tests of reliability are needed for meaningful conclusions. This study is a first step in validating the scale to assess efficacy of intervention for motor recovery of the arm.
Levin
Mindy F
MF
School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal, and Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Institute of Montreal, 6300 Darlington, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3S 2J4. levinm@poste.umontreal.ca
Desrosiers
Johanne
J
Beauchemin
Danielle
D
Bergeron
Nathalie
N
Rochette
Annie
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014743:Videotape Recording