Development of a self-report scale of spasticity
Steve Barker1, Mike Horton, Ruth M Kent
1Academic Unit of Musculoskeletal and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
|November 26, 2013
Summary
A new, short questionnaire effectively measures spasticity and its impact, offering a practical tool for clinical use. This validated scale provides a reliable way to assess spasticity in patients, improving care in various settings.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Clinical Measurement
- Patient-Reported Outcomes
Background:
- The Modified Ashworth Scale is widely used for spasticity but is not practical for routine clinical follow-ups or community surveys.
- Existing methods for assessing spasticity lack suitability for frequent or widespread patient monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a concise questionnaire for assessing spasticity presence and severity.
- To create a tool appropriate for routine outpatient and community-based clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interviews with stroke patients explored spasticity experiences to inform questionnaire development.
- Rasch analysis was employed for psychometric evaluation of the drafted scale.
- External validation was performed by correlating scale results with established measures.
Main Results:
- Interviews identified key spasticity impacts: pain, spasm, fatigue, restricted movement, balance issues, and altered appearance.
- An 8-item questionnaire was developed and administered to 188 stroke survivors (mean age 72.6).
- The 8-item scale demonstrated good fit to the Rasch model and correlated significantly with self-reported health status.
Conclusions:
- A brief, self-perceived spasticity scale was successfully developed using grounded theory.
- The scale meets high measurement standards, validated by Rasch analysis.
- This new tool is suitable for assessing spasticity in clinical and community settings.
