Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the pediatric motor activity log-revised (PMAL-R) for 2–17 year old children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy

Abstract

Purpose

The Pediatric Upper-extremity Motor Activity Log-Revised (PMAL-R) is a structured interview that measures use of the more-affected arm in daily life in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study investigated the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of a Turkish version of the PMAL-R.

Materials and methods

The PMAL-R was translated and cross-culturally adapted to Turkish and administered to parents of eighty children with hemiplegic CP between 2-17 years. Its concurrent validity was examined by correlating scores on the PMAL-R How Well and How Often scales with ABILHAND-Kids scores. Fifty parents were re-interviewed after three weeks to establish test-retest reliability.

Results

PMAL-R scores were strongly correlated with ABILHAND-Kids scores (How Well scale, r = 0.78, p < 0.001; How Often scale, r = 0.59, p < 0.001). PMAL-R test-retest reliability (Intraclass correlation; How Often = 0.98, How Well = 0.99) and internal consistency (Cronbach's α; How Often = 0.96, How Well = 0.97) were high.

Conclusions

This translation of the PMAL-R has good reliability and validity for measuring everyday use of the more-affected arm in Turkish children with hemiparesis due to CP between 2–17 years.

Implications for rehabilitation

• An instrument that evaluates real-world arm use in Turkish children with CP.

• Reliability and concurrent validity of the Turkish PMAL-R is established in 2–17-year old with upper-extremity hemiparesis.

• Systematic replication of the clinimetric properties of the English PMAL-R is demonstrated in a wider age range than previously, 2–17 years vs. 2–8 years.

• Reliability and concurrent validity of the PMAL-R is shown in both children with right and left hemiparesis.

Keywords:

• Activities of daily living
• cerebral palsy
• hand
• motor activity
• outcome assessment
• upper extremity

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.