Reliability, internal consistency, and validity of data obtained with the functional gait assessment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) is a 10-item gait assessment based on the Dynamic Gait Index. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability, internal consistency, and validity of data obtained with the FGA when used with people with vestibular disorders. SUBJECTS Seven physical therapists from various practice settings, 3 physical therapist students, and 6 patients with vestibular disorders volunteered to participate. METHODS All raters were given 10 minutes to review the instructions, the test items, and the grading criteria for the FGA. The 10 raters concurrently rated the performance of the 6 patients on the FGA. Patients completed the FGA twice, with an hour's rest between sessions. Reliability of total FGA scores was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (2,1). Internal consistency of the FGA was assessed using the Cronbach alpha and confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity was assessed using the correlation of the FGA scores with balance and gait measurements. RESULTS Intraclass correlation coefficients of.86 and.74 were found for interrater and intrarater reliability of the total FGA scores. Internal consistency of the FGA scores was.79. Spearman rank order correlation coefficients of the FGA scores with balance measurements ranged from.11 to.67. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The FGA demonstrates what we believe is acceptable reliability, internal consistency, and concurrent validity with other balance measures used for patients with vestibular disorders.

[1]  A Graybiel,et al.  An ataxia test battery not requiring rails. , 1968, Aerospace medicine.

[2]  A Graybiel,et al.  Walk on floor eyes closed (WOFEC): a new addition to an ataxia test battery. , 1971, Aerospace medicine.

[3]  A Graybiel,et al.  Revised normative standards of performance of men on a quantitative ataxia test battery. , 1973, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[4]  J. R. Landis,et al.  The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. , 1977, Biometrics.

[5]  J. Fleiss,et al.  Intraclass correlations: uses in assessing rater reliability. , 1979, Psychological bulletin.

[6]  F. Horak,et al.  Assessing the Influence of Sensory Interaction on Balance , 1986 .

[7]  F. Horak.  Clinical measurement of postural control in adults. , 1987, Physical therapy.

[8]  C. Newman,et al.  The development of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory. , 1990, Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery.

[9]  Gin McCollum,et al.  Assessment and Treatment of Balance Deficits , 1991 .

[10]  Diane Podsiadlo,et al.  The Timed “Up & Go”: A Test of Basic Functional Mobility for Frail Elderly Persons , 1991, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[11]  R. P. Fabio,et al.  Influence of sensory inputs on standing balance in community-dwelling elders with a recent history of falling. , 1992, Physical therapy.

[12]  H. Cohen,et al.  A study of the clinical test of sensory interaction and balance. , 1993, Physical therapy.

[13]  P. Riley,et al.  Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Rehabilitation for Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction: Preliminary Report , 1993, Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

[14]  Sheila R. Woody,et al.  Discomfort with space and motion: A possible marker of vestibular dysfunction assessed by the situational characteristics questionnaire , 1993 .

[15]  Marjorie H. Woollacott,et al.  Motor Control: Theory and Practical Applications , 1995 .

[16]  L. E. Powell,et al.  The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. , 1995, The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences.

[17]  Marsha P. Johnson.  Statistical Methods for Health Care Research , 1996 .

[18]  A. Shumway-cook,et al.  Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults. , 1997, Physical therapy.

[19]  E. Hirasaki,et al.  3D analysis of human locomotion before and after caloric stimulation. , 1997, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[20]  A. Shumway-cook,et al.  The effect of multidimensional exercises on balance, mobility, and fall risk in community-dwelling older adults. , 1997, Physical therapy.

[21]  R. Watson.  Publishing the results of factor analysis: interpretation and presentation. , 1998, Journal of advanced nursing.

[22]  Forbes Tower,et al.  The activities-specific balance confidence scale and the dizziness handicap inventory: a comparison , 1999 .

[23]  J. Furman,et al.  Physical Therapy for Migraine‐Related Vestibulopathy and Vestibular Dysfunction With History of Migraine , 2000, The Laryngoscope.

[24]  S. Whitney,et al.  The dynamic gait index relates to self-reported fall history in individuals with vestibular dysfunction. , 2000, Journal of vestibular research : equilibrium & orientation.

[25]  D. Krebs,et al.  Relationship among balance impairments, functional performance, and disability in people with peripheral vestibular hypofunction. , 2000, Physical therapy.

[26]  M. Woollacott,et al.  Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults using the Timed Up & Go Test. , 2000, Physical therapy.

[27]  D. Wrisley,et al.  Physical Therapy Outcomes for Persons With Bilateral Vestibular Loss , 2001, The Laryngoscope.

[28]  A. Mykletun,et al.  Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale: Factor structure, item analyses and internal consistency in a large population , 2001, British Journal of Psychiatry.

[29]  G. Forrest,et al.  Head stability in older adults during walking with and without visual input. , 2001, Journal of vestibular research : equilibrium & orientation.

[30]  Hilde Feys,et al.  Effect of a physical therapeutic intervention for balance problems in the elderly: A single-blind, randomized, controlled multicentre trial , 2001, Clinical rehabilitation.

[31]  J. Furman,et al.  Vestibular Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients with a History of Migraine , 2002, Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology.

[32]  Susan L Whitney,et al.  The Effect of Age on Vestibular Rehabilitation Outcomes , 2002, The Laryngoscope.

[33]  Sang-I Lin,et al.  Perception of Unsteadiness in Patients with Dizziness: Association with Handicap and Imbalance , 2002, Journal of Biomedical Science.

[34]  E. Finch.  Physical rehabilitation outcome measures : a guide to enhanced clinical decision making , 2002 .

[35]  S. Downing.  Validity: on the meaningful interpretation of assessment data , 2003, Medical education.

[36]  Fay B. Horak,et al.  Head and Body Center of Gravity Control Strategies: Adaptations Following Vestibular Rehabilitation , 2003, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[37]  Martha L Walker,et al.  Reliability of the dynamic gait index in people with vestibular disorders. , 2003, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[38]  Chris A McGibbon,et al.  Kinetic analysis of planned gait termination in healthy subjects and patients with balance disorders. , 2003, Gait & posture.

[39]  D. Krebs,et al.  Vestibular Rehabilitation: Useful but not Universally so , 2003, Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

[40]  J. Furman,et al.  Concurrent validity of the Berg Balance Scale and the Dynamic Gait Index in people with vestibular dysfunction. , 2003, Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy.

[41]  W. Miller,et al.  Psychometric properties of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale among individuals with a lower-limb amputation. , 2003, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[42]  J. Furman,et al.  Is Perception of Handicap Related to Functional Performance in Persons with Vestibular Dysfunction? , 2004, Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology.

[43]  Gait analysis in patients with vertigo , 2004, European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology.