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Peer Exercise Leaders Can Accurately and Reliably Rate Intensity of Older Adult Exercisers With the Balance Intensity
Kathryn M Sibley1,2, Emily Zacharias1, Danielle R Bouchard3
1College of Community & Global Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Objective:
To assess the accuracy and reliability of peer exercise leader ratings of balance exercise intensity using the Balance Intensity Scale Therapist version - Global Rating of Effort (BIS-T GRE).
Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Setting:
Two community peer-led exercise programs in Canada.
Participants:
Fourteen leaders (N=14) who were currently teaching or had taught a class in the past year and had completed introductory training on the BIS-T GRE.
Interventions:
A 90-minute online facilitated training, including practice rating videos of older adults performing balance exercise tasks and moderated discussion.
Main Outcome Measures:
(1) Accuracy of peer exercise leaders' BIS-T GRE ratings for 8 videos of older adults performing balance exercise tasks in 2 independent rating sessions compared with expert ratings; and (2) interrater and test-retest reliability of BIS-T GRE ratings.
Results:
Mean ratings were the same or lower than expert scores, with significant differences in 4 videos in session 1 and 5 videos in session 2 (all P<.03). A total of 97% of ratings had acceptable accuracy in session 1, and 90% in session 2 (P=.027). Interrater reliability was excellent (intraclass coefficient range=0.980-0.988), and test-retest reliability was good to excellent (intraclass coefficient range=0.744-0.986).
Conclusions:
Peer exercise leaders in Canadian community programs can accurately and reliably rate balance exercise intensity in older adults using the BIS-T GRE.
