title: The test-retest reliability and the minimal detectable change of the Purdue pegboard test in schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Purdue pegboard test is widely used in measuring the hand dexterity of patients with schizophrenia. In patients with schizophrenia, the test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of this test remain largely unknown, limiting the interpretability of this popular measure. The purpose of this study was to estimate the test-retest reliability and the MDC of the Purdue pegboard test for patients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 147 patients with schizophrenia participated in this study. The participants were administrated the five subtests of the Purdue pegboard test, three trials in a row at both of the two sessions 1 week apart. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to examine the test-retest reliability and the MDC was calculated on the basis of standard error of measurement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The test-retest reliabilities of the five subtests were moderate to good (ICC = 0.73-0.88). The MDC (MDC%) was 3.0 (22.9%) for the dominant hand subtest, 3.1 (26.1%) for the nondominant hand subtest, 3.0 (31.7%) for the both hands subtest, 6.1 (17.7%) for the dominant + nondominant + both hands subtest, and 8.5 (35.3%) for the assembly subtest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results reveal that the Purdue pegboard test has moderate-to-good test-retest reliability but substantial random measurement error. These findings should enable clinicians and researchers to monitor and interpret the changes in the hand dexterity of patients with schizophrenia more accurately and confidently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Posen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chin-Hsuan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chia-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Chi-Pang
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wen-Shian
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ching-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*