The Overt Behaviour Scale–Self-Report (OBS-SR) for acquired brain injury: exploratory analysis of reliability and validity

ABSTRACT

The objectives were to test the properties, via a psychometric study, of the Overt Behaviour Scale–Self-Report (OBS-SR), a version of the OBS-Adult Scale developed to provide a client perspective on challenging behaviours after acquired brain injury. Study sample 1 consisted of 37 patients with primary brain tumour (PBT) and a family-member informant. Sample 2 consisted of 34 clients with other acquired brain injury (mixed brain injury, MBI) and a service-provider informant. Participants completed the OBS-SR (at two time points), and the Awareness Questionnaire (AQ) and Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory-III (MPAI-III) once; informants completed the OBS-Adult and AQ once only. PBT-informant dyads displayed “good” levels of agreement (ICC_2,k = .74; OBS-SR global index). Although MBI-informant dyads displayed no agreement (ICC_2,k = .22; OBS-SR global index), the sub-group (17/29) rated by clinicians as having moderate to good levels of awareness displayed “fair” agreement (ICC_2,k = .58; OBS-SR global index). Convergent/divergent validity was demonstrated by significant correlations between OBS-SR subscales and MPAI-III subscales with behavioural content (coefficients in the range .36 −.61). Scores had good reliability across one week (ICC_2,k = .69). The OBS-SR took approximately 15 minutes to complete. It was concluded that the OBS-SR demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity, providing a useful resource in understanding clients’ perspectives about their behaviour.

KEYWORDS:

• Acquired brain injury
• traumatic brain injury
• brain tumour
• challenging behaviour
• aggression
• insight
• self-report
• outcome measures

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Dr Brigitte Lane (Brain Injury Rehabilitation Research Group); Ms Samantha Burns, Dr Kathryn Hoskin, and Ms Jenny Todd (ABI Behaviour Consultancy, Epworth Healthcare) for their invaluable contribution to data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.