Looking for important change/differences in studies of responsiveness. OMERACT MCID Working Group. Outcome Measures...

The purpose of this paper is to describe a classification system for studies of responsiveness that was designed to help organize these studies, and identify those with the potential to provide information on minimal clinically important difference (MCID). We developed a 3 dimensional cube into which studies of responsiveness can be categorized based on their evaluation of 3 attributes: 1. individual or group setting; 2. which scores are contrasted; and 3. the type of change or difference being assessed. We present and discuss examples of studies that fit into categories in the classification cube. This classification system helps to focus attention on whether the literature is able to provide information on the specific type of change a person is interested in. It reinforces that the ability of an instrument to detect a certain category of discrimination within the cube does not mean it will necessarily be responsive to another category. The cube has been shown here as a means to separate out studies that address important change. These studies can then be examined as the source of information on MCID.