Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
Revised and Neuroimaging-Compatible Versions of the Dual Task Screen
Published on: October 5, 2020
Association of Self-Reported Dual-Task Ability With Fear of Falling and Recurrent Falls in Individuals With Multiple
Myeongjin Bae1, Susan L Kasser1, Michael VanNostrand2
1Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT.
Objective:
To determine the association of self-reported dual-task ability with fear of falling and recurrent falls in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Individuals with MS were recruited from the general community in the US.
Participants:
A total of 1083 people (N=1083) with MS were enrolled. The sample was predominantly women (80.52%). Of the total, 262 participants (24.19%) were classified as recurrent fallers. Patient Determined Disease Steps scores ranged from 0 to 6, with 563 participants (52.00%) reporting mild disability (Patient Determined Disease Steps=0-2).
Interventions:
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures:
A Dual-Task Impact on Daily Life Activities Questionnaire (DIDA-Q) and its subdomains of motor-motor interference (MMI) and cognitive-motor interference (CMI) were assessed. The total, MMI, and CMI scores were expressed in a 5-point interval scale for ease of interpretation. The total score of the Fall Efficacy Scale-International was dichotomized into low and high fear of falling based on a cutoff score of 35.5. Fall status was categorized as nonfall or single fall (≤1 fall) and recurrent falls (>1 fall) within the past 3 months.
Results:
Every 5-point increase in the DIDA-Q was significantly associated with fear of falling (odds ratio [OR], 1.71; 95% CI, 1.56-2.88), as were the CMI (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.80-2.34) and MMI (OR, 3.48; 95% CI, 2.80-4.34). The DIDA-Q total score (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.07-1.21), CMI (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.09-1.29), and MMI (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.21-1.66) were significantly associated with increased likelihood of recurrent falls.
Conclusions:
The study indicates that self-reported dual-task difficulty was associated with fear of falling and recurrent falls in persons with MS. Considering that current in-lab dual-task assessments are insufficient to predict falls, the self-reported dual-task questionnaire can be an effective alternative for screening fall risk in this population.
