Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2025
Isokinetic Robotic Device to Improve Test-Retest and Inter-Rater Reliability for Stretch Reflex Measurements in Stroke Patients with Spasticity
Published on: June 12, 2019
Reproducibility, Construct Validity, and Responsiveness of the Tetraplegia Upper Limb Activities Questionnaire, TUAQ.
Johanna Wangdell1, Bridget Hill2, Jennifer A Dunn3
1Centre for Advanced Reconstruction of Extremities, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Mölndal, Mölndal, Sweden; Department of Hand Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Objective:
To test reliability, construct validity and responsiveness of the Tetraplegia Upper Limb Activities Questionnaire (TUAQ), a patient-reported outcome measure that assesses perceived performance and satisfaction with 10 standardized activities.
Design:
Outcome measure psychometric evaluation.
Setting:
Spinal cord injury units in 2 countries.
Participants:
Reproducibility: 47 individuals with tetraplegia. Construct validity and responsiveness: 33 individuals with tetraplegia undergoing surgery to restore hand function (N=80).
Interventions:
Reproducibility: The TUAQ was completed on 2 occasions, 2 weeks apart. Construct validity and responsiveness: Participants completed the TUAQ prior to surgery and 3-12 months after hand reconstruction surgery. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach α. Two agreement parameters were examined: the SEM and minimal detectable change with 90% confidence interval (MDC90). Construct validity was evaluated using Pearson product moment correlation against a priori hypotheses. Responsiveness was assessed using paired t tests and effect size.
Results:
Test-retest reliability and internal consistency was high (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 for performance scale and 0.88 for satisfaction, Cronbach α of 0.92 and 0.90, respectively). For agreement the SEM scores were 4.7 and 3.5, with MDC90 of 10.9 and 8.2, respectively. Responsiveness and construct validity showed sound results with no ceiling or floor effects and with large effect size (>1.05).
Conclusions:
The TUAQ demonstrates good psychometric properties for reliability and agreement for persons with tetraplegia and responsiveness and construct validity for surgical reconstruction of hand function for persons with tetraplegia. The TUAQ appears appropriate to be used as a patient-reported outcome measure for clinical and research purposes in this population.
