ICF-linking and psychometric properties of upper extremity mobility outcome measures in spinal cord injury – a scoping review

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the outcome measures used in upper extremity rehabilitation and research in spinal cord injury and to investigate their psychometry.

Design

Scoping review.

Data sources

PubMed, the Cochrane library, PEDro, Medline (Ovid).

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

The search process and study selection was carried out as follows: Firstly, a systematic search was carried out for articles on upper extremity rehabilitation after SCI. Performance or observational outcome measures which were designed for a clinical setting were collected from selected studies. Secondly, eligible outcome measures were linked to the ICF. The ICF-linked outcome measures were further screened for inclusion according to how comprehensively they covered ICF categories. Finally, a search of the selected outcome measures was performed to investigate their psychometry.

Results

A total of four outcome measures and nine psychometric studies were selected for the scoping review; six studies addressed GRASSP, one addressed AuSpinal, one addressed SHFT and one addressed TRI-HFT. Of the 13 COSMIN measurement properties, studies of GRASSP covered seven, AuSpinal covered five and both SHFT and TRI-HFT covered three properties.

Conclusions

The psychometric properties of GRASSP were most extensively studied showing eligible reliability and validity. Although there are still some measurement properties to be explored, GRASSP can be recommended for use in the evaluation of upper extremity mobility in the SCI rehabilitation and research. More research is needed on the psychometrics of other outcome measures in people with spinal cord injuries before the outcome measures can be unconditionally recommended.

Keywords:

• Spinal cord injury
• Outcome measure
• Psychometrics

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Heli Valkeinen, senior specialist from the Finnish institute for health and welfare, who conducted the psychometric study search.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Funding This study was funded with a Validia Rehabilitation [grant number HUS/2571/2018, 7.3.2019].

Conflicts of interest Authors have no conflict of interests to declare.