OBJECTIVE To develop a satisfaction measure of activities and participation in the actual environment experienced by patients after chronic stroke using the Rasch measurement model. METHODS A 36-item questionnaire based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model and existing scales was developed. The questionnaire was submitted to 101 patients (70% men; me...

BACKGROUND Previous research on educational data has demonstrated that Rasch fit statistics (mean squares and t-statistics) are highly susceptible to sample size variation for dichotomously scored rating data, although little is known about this relationship for polytomous data. These statistics help inform researchers about how well items fit to a unidimensional latent trait, and are an import...

BACKGROUND The impact of strabismus on visual function, self-image, self-esteem, and social interactions decrease health-related quality of life (HRQoL).The purpose of this study was to evaluate and refine the adult strabismus quality of life questionnaire (AS-20) by using Rasch analysis among Chinese adult patients with strabismus. METHODS We evaluated the fitness of the AS-20 with Rasch mod...

BACKGROUND In the field of drug and alcohol abuse, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been used as an important clinical and research outcome. The aim of this study was to establish score linkages (concordance) among three HRQoL assessment tools: WHOQOL-BREF, DUQOL and HRQOLDA scores, applying a Rasch-based common person equating procedure. METHODS One hundred and twenty one adults we...

This paper proposes the use of a non-immersive virtual reality rehabilitation system "ReHabgame" developed using Microsoft Kinect™ and the Thalmic™ Labs Myo gesture control armband. The ReHabgame was developed based on two third-person video games that provide a feasible possibility of assessing postural control and functional reach tests. It accurately quantifies specific postural control mech...

BACKGROUND A critical component that influences the measurement properties of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument is the rating scale. Yet, there is a lack of general consensus regarding optimal rating scale format, including aspects of question structure, the number and the labels of response categories. This study aims to explore the characteristics of rating scales that function well...

BACKGROUND A person's participation is acknowledged as an important outcome of the rehabilitation process. The Participation Scale (P-Scale) is an instrument that was designed to assess the participation of individuals with a health condition or disability. The scale was developed in an effort to better describe the participation of people living in middle-income and low-income countries. The a...

BACKGROUND Measurement scales seeking to quantify latent traits like attitudes, are often developed using traditional psychometric approaches. Application of the Rasch unidimensional measurement model may complement or replace these techniques, as the model can be used to construct scales and check their psychometric properties. If data fit the model, then a scale with invariant measurement pro...

The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS; Kessler et al., 2005) is one of the most extensively used scales to detect attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. The aim of this work is to analyze the psychometric properties of the 18 ASRS items in people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Furthermore, we aimed to (a) confirm or, if necessary, modify the dichotomization criteria o...

OBJECTIVE When comparing outcomes of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM ) between patient groups, item characteristics of the FIM should be consistent across groups. The purpose of this study was to compare item difficulty of the FIM in 3 patient groups with neurological disorders. SUBJECTS Patients with stroke (n=295), multiple sclerosis (n=150), and traumatic brain injury (n=88). ME...