title: Rater reliability and concurrent validity of the Keyboard Personal Computer Style instrument (K-PeCS).
abstract: This paper describes the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, and the concurrent validity of an observational instrument, the Keyboard Personal Computer Style instrument (K-PeCS), which assesses stereotypical postures and movements associated with computer keyboard use. Three trained raters independently rated the video clips of 45 computer keyboard users to ascertain inter-rater reliability, and then re-rated a sub-sample of 15 video clips to ascertain intra-rater reliability. Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing the ratings obtained using the K-PeCS to scores developed from a 3D motion analysis system. The overall K-PeCS had excellent reliability [inter-rater: intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC)=.90; intra-rater: ICC=.92]. Most individual items on the K-PeCS had from good to excellent reliability, although six items fell below ICC=.75. Those K-PeCS items that were assessed for concurrent validity compared favorably to the motion analysis data for all but two items. These results suggest that most items on the K-PeCS can be used to reliably document computer keyboarding style.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. nab36@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Redfern
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016288:Computer Terminals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009141:Musculoskeletal System; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult