The Performance Quality Rating Scale for Somatosensation After Stroke: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Stroke survivors often experience somatosensory deficits, impacting their ability to perform self-selected activities.
• Existing performance measures may not be suitable for evaluating stroke survivors with somatosensory impairments.
• There is a need for reliable tools to assess observed performance quality in this specific patient group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To modify the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS) for stroke survivors with somatosensory deficits.
• To evaluate the interrater reliability of the modified PQRS in assessing performance quality.
• To establish the clinical usability of the modified PQRS for this population.

Main Methods:

• The Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS) was adapted for stroke survivors with somatosensory deficits.
• Two clinicians rated video recordings of 22 stroke survivors performing self-selected activities on two separate occasions.
• Interrater reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1), Spearman's rho, and standard error of measurement (SEM).

Main Results:

• The modified PQRS demonstrated good interrater reliability, with an ICC2,1 of 0.81.
• Clinicians' scores showed a high correlation (Spearman's rho = 0.81).
• The standard error of measurement (SEM) was acceptable at 1.07, indicating good precision.

Conclusions:

• The modified PQRS is a reliable tool for assessing the observed performance quality of stroke survivors with somatosensory deficits.
• The scale's good interrater reliability supports its clinical utility in rehabilitation settings.
• Further refinement, including operational definitions, could enhance the scale's applicability across diverse activities.