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Interrater reliability of students using hand and pinch dynamometers
Debra Lindstrom-Hazel1, Andrew Kratt, Laura Bix
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Western Michigan University, 147 West Ridge Circle, Kalamazoo, MI 49009, USA. dhazel@wmich.edu
Summary
Occupational therapy students demonstrated high interrater reliability when measuring hand strength using standard instruments. This suggests students can be trained to accurately collect crucial hand dynamometry data.
Area of Science:
- Occupational therapy
- Rehabilitation science
- Biomedical engineering
Background:
- Hand strength measurement is crucial in occupational therapy.
- Standardized instruments are used for grip and pinch strength assessment.
- Evaluating the reliability of novice raters is important for data quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the interrater reliability of occupational therapy students using standard hand-strength instruments.
- To determine if trained students can serve as reliable data collectors for hand dynamometry.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-three healthy participants (students, faculty, staff) completed bilateral grip and pinch strength trials.
- Two student raters independently scored three trials for each participant.
- Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to analyze interrater reliability.
Main Results:
- The Jamar dynamometer showed excellent interrater reliability, with ICCs ranging from .996 to .998.
- The pinch gauge also demonstrated high reliability, with ICCs ranging from .949 to .990.
- All results were statistically significant (p < .05).
Conclusions:
- Occupational therapy students can achieve reliable hand strength measurements after training and competency testing.
- Students are capable of collecting valid normative data for hand-held dynamometry.
- This supports the use of students in research and clinical data collection to enhance psychometric properties.
