Clinical Assessment Scale for Contraversive Pushing, interrater reliability of a Swedish version

Abstract

Pusher syndrome in patients with stroke is a postural disorder with the patients actively pushing themselves towards their paretic side. Different methods have been used for assessing its presence and severity. The aim of this study was to translate the most frequently used scale, the Clinical Assessment Scale for Contraversive Pushing (SCP), into Swedish and to investigate the interrater reliability. Twenty-two patients in the acute phase after stroke onset, with signs of pushing, were consecutively included in the study. Two physiotherapists assessed the same patient on different occasions but on the same day. Almost all patients were assessed on more than one day. Four physiotherapists were involved in the study. In total, those four physiotherapists made 60 paired assessments on these 22 patients. Intraclass correlation 2.1 ranged from 0.732 to 0.856, and showed good reliability in calculated variables and the total score. Kappa coefficients ranged from 0.609 to 0.788 and showed good reliability in calculated variables. Percentage of agreement ranged from 72% to 93% and showed good reliability in all variables. In conclusion, the Swedish version of SCP is reliable for assessing pusher syndrome in patients with stroke. It may help clinicians to standardize their assessments.

• Assessment
• pusher syndrome
• stroke