Development of an essential tremor embarrassment assessment

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Embarrassment is a common yet unquantified symptom in essential tremor (ET).
• A formal tool is needed to assess embarrassment in ET for clinical practice and research.
• This study aimed to develop and validate such a measurement instrument.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop the Essential Tremor Embarrassment Assessment (ETEA), a self-report scale.
• To evaluate the clinimetric properties of the ETEA in essential tremor patients.

Main Methods:

• The ETEA, a 14-item scale, was constructed based on expert and patient surveys.
• Validity, reliability, and internal consistency were assessed in 75 ET patients.
• Factor analysis was used to determine the underlying structure of the scale.

Main Results:

• 77.3% of ET patients reported occasional embarrassment, and 36.4% reported daily embarrassment.
• ETEA scores showed significant correlations with tremor disability and depression scales (p<0.02).
• The ETEA demonstrated high test-retest reliability (p<0.001) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85 and 0.74).

Conclusions:

• Embarrassment is a prevalent issue for individuals with essential tremor.
• The Essential Tremor Embarrassment Assessment (ETEA) is a reliable and valid instrument.
• The ETEA can be utilized to quantify embarrassment in ET patients, aiding treatment assessment.