The interrater reliability of the modified Gait Abnormality Rating Scale for use with people with intellectual disability

Abstract

Background Researching falls in persons with ID is limited by difficulties in applying standardised balance outcome measures. The modified Gait Abnormality Rating Scale (GARS-M), developed to identify falls risk in older adults, requires only that the participant walks and thus may be a feasible falls research tool to use with people with ID. In the present study, we consider the interrater reliability of the GARS-M.

Method Nine people with ID were videotaped walking. These recordings were used by 10 physiotherapists to rate the person's walking on the 7 categories of the GARS-M. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for the physiotherapists' scores in each category and the total score; ICC ≥ 0.7 indicating good interrater reliability.

Results The ICC was greater than 0.7 in only one category of the GARS-M, but ICC = 0.85 for the total score. Average time to rate one person was 8 minutes.

Conclusions The GARS-M is potentially useful for falls prevention research with people with ID.

Keywords:

• falls
• balance
• gait
• intellectual disability
• measurement