Translation, reliability, and validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Brachial Plexus Outcome Measure scale (BPOM-Br)

Abstract

Purpose

To translate and investigate inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, content validity, and construct validity of the Brazilian-Portuguese Version of the Brachial Plexus Outcome Measure Scale (BPOM-Br).

Material and methods

The translation followed international guidelines. Inter-rater reliability was tested with 51 individuals with Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy (NBPP), aged between 4 to 16 years old. To determine concurrent construct validity, children were also assessed with the Mallet Scale. Statistical analysis included Bland-Altman, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Floor and Ceiling and effect, and Pearson correlation.

Results

The majority of the sample consisted of children with upper NBPP (75.2%), mean age of 8.9 years old. BPOM-Br showed appropriate content validity (comprehensiveness) according to rehabilitation professionals. It also showed excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.90) and internal consistency (α = 0.91). Bland-Altman analysis showed bias close to zero. Finally, BPOM-Br showed overall significant positive correlations with the Mallet scale items (rs= 0.31 to 0.78 p < 0.05), indicating adequate concurrent validity.

Conclusions

BPOM-Br is a consistent, reliable, and valid instrument to assess activity of school-aged children with NBPP.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• The Brazilian-Portuguese Version of the Brachial Plexus Outcome Measure Scale (BPOM-Br) presents understandable items and no ceiling and floor effects.

• The BPOM-Br provides a valid and reliable version for use in Brazilian school-aged children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy.

• It is important to promote its use both in clinical practice and in research as a specific evaluation of activity domain.

Keywords:

• Neonatal brachial plexus palsy
• nBPP
• functional evaluation
• psychometric properties
• reliability
• construct validity

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) and its Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa for their institutional support, and to CNPq, CAPES and FAPEMIG for financial support and scholarships

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.