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Published on: December 11, 2013
The Validity and Reliability of the Seated Postural Control Measure in Cerebral Palsy
Sabiha Bezgin1, Kamile Uzun Akkaya, Dilek Sahiloğulları
1Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Faculty of Health Sciences, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey (Dr Bezgin and Mrs Sahiloğulları); Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey (Akkaya and Elbasan); Sunny Hill Centre, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Dr Field).
The Turkish version of the Seated Postural Control Measure (SPCM-TR) is a valid and reliable tool for assessing children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study confirms its accuracy in evaluating postural control in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Clinical Biomechanics
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function, including seated postural control.
- Accurate assessment tools are crucial for effective intervention planning in children with CP.
- The Seated Postural Control Measure (SPCM) is a valuable tool, but a culturally adapted Turkish version was needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Seated Postural Control Measure (SPCM-TR).
- To assess the SPCM-TR's suitability for use in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP).
Main Methods:
- The original SPCM underwent translation and cultural adaptation to create the SPCM-TR.
- 124 children with CP (mean age 8.6 years) participated.
- Two physical therapists administered the SPCM-TR twice, one week apart, assessing intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. Convergent validity was examined using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) sitting dimension, and construct validity with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).
Main Results:
- The SPCM-TR demonstrated excellent reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.90 for both intra-rater and inter-rater assessments.
- Cronbach's alpha values for the alignment, function subscales, and total score were high (0.83, 0.89, and 0.91, respectively), indicating strong internal consistency.
- Very good correlations were found between SPCM-TR total scores and GMFCS (-0.92) and GMFM (0.91) scores, supporting its validity.
Conclusions:
- The SPCM-TR is a valid and reliable measurement scale for evaluating seated postural control in children with CP.
- This culturally adapted tool provides a dependable means for clinicians and researchers to assess postural control in Turkish-speaking children with CP.
- The SPCM-TR can aid in monitoring treatment progress and guiding therapeutic strategies for children with cerebral palsy.
