Development and validation of the Standing Balance Assessment for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SBASCI) - A new outcome measure

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Injury to the spinal cord results in standing balance impairment following variable sensorimotor loss. Standing balance training is a realistic goal for the majority of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) for which therapists need valid measures to assess standing ability in people with SCI that are relevant to functionality. Objective: The objective of the study was to develop an all inclusive Standing Balance Assessment for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SBASCI) measure and to establish its initial psychometric properties. Methods: The study was carried out in three phases: Item development, scale development and scale evaluation. Literature review, focus group discussions and evaluation by experts resulted in the development of a 22-item SBASCI scale. The scale was administered on 120 participants with SCI. Exploratory factor analysis and item analysis were used to determine construct validity and internal consistency of the scale. Results: Content validity was established qualitatively and quantitatively. The scale shows high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha 0.96). The results of the exploratory factor analysis suggested a four factor structure retaining all the 22 items. Conclusion: SBASCI is a valid and reliable scale to measure the standing balance of individuals with SCI. Further studies are required to establish other psychometric properties.