A clinical tool to measure trunk control in children with cerebral palsy: the Trunk Control Measurement Scale

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often exhibit impaired trunk control, impacting motor function.
• The Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS) is a tool designed to assess trunk control.
• Evaluating the psychometric properties of the TCMS is crucial for its clinical application in pediatric CP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychometric properties, including reliability and validity, of the Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS).
• To assess the discriminant ability of the TCMS by comparing children with CP to typically developing (TD) children.

Main Methods:

• The study included 26 children with spastic CP (GMFCS levels I-III) and 30 TD children.
• Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and kappa values.
• Construct validity was determined by correlating TCMS scores with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM).

Main Results:

• High inter-rater (0.91-0.99) and test-retest (0.91-0.99) reliability were found for the TCMS.
• Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.82 to 0.94, indicating good internal consistency.
• Significant differences in TCMS scores were observed between children with CP and TD children (p < 0.0001), supporting discriminant validity.

Conclusions:

• The TCMS demonstrates strong reliability and validity for assessing trunk control in children with spastic CP.
• The scale effectively differentiates trunk control abilities between children with CP and their typically developing peers.
• The TCMS offers valuable clinical insights into trunk performance, aiding in the assessment of strengths and weaknesses in pediatric CP.