Mobility-related participation and user satisfaction: construct validity in the context of powered wheelchair use.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the constructs of mobility-related participation and user satisfaction, two important outcome dimensions within praxis and research on mobility device interventions.


METHODS
To fulfill this aim, validity and reliability of a 12-item scale on mobility-related participation and a 10-item scale on user satisfaction were examined in the context of older people's powered wheelchair use (n = 111). Rasch analysis and correlation analysis were applied.


RESULTS
Construct validity of both scales was confirmed. The reliability of the user satisfaction scale was good, while the mobility-related participation scale was not optimal in discriminating between persons with a high degree of mobility-related participation. It was demonstrated that mobility-related participation and user satisfaction are separate, not related constructs.


CONCLUSIONS
It can be concluded that the investigated mobility-related participation and user satisfaction constructs appear to be valid. Since the two constructs are not related and both yield important information, both dimensions should be evaluated in outcomes research and praxis targeting powered wheelchair interventions. Reliability problems of the mobility-related participation scale indicate the complexity of this construct. The results have been instrumental in the development of a new scale for measuring mobility-related participation 'The NOMO 1.0'.
Department of Research & Development, Danish Centre for Assistive Technology, Arhus, Denmark. aab@hmi.dk
Ase
A
Brandt
Svend
S
Kreiner
Susanne
S
Iwarsson
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*