Construct Validity of the Activities Scale for Kids Performance in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Brief Report

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function in children.
• Accurate assessment of physical functioning is crucial for effective rehabilitation planning.
• The Activity Scale for Kids performance (ASKp) is a tool used to evaluate functional capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the construct convergent validity of the Activity Scale for Kids performance (ASKp).
• To compare ASKp results with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).
• To assess the ASKp's ability to differentiate between children with varying functional capabilities.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 60 children with spastic cerebral palsy.
• Children self-administered the Italian version of the ASKp.
• Data were compared with GMFM-66 scores and GMFCS levels.

Main Results:

• Moderate correlations were observed between ASKp and GMFM-66 scores (r=0.577, p<.001).
• Significant correlations were found between GMFCS levels and ASKp scores (rs=-0.541, p<.001).
• The ASKp effectively discriminated between children with different functional capabilities based on GMFCS (F=18.2, p<.001).

Conclusions:

• The ASKp demonstrates construct convergent validity in children with spastic CP.
• The ASKp is a valid instrument for assessing physical functioning in this population.
• Findings support the use of ASKp in the rehabilitation of children with spastic CP.