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Development of the Mini‐Assisting Hand Assessment: evidence for content and internal scale validity
Author(s) -
Greaves Susan,
Imms Christine,
Dodd Karen,
KrumlindeSundholm Lena
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/dmcn.12212
Subject(s) - content validity , scale (ratio) , internal validity , psychology , psychometrics , medicine , clinical psychology , pathology , physics , quantum mechanics
Aim To describe the development of the M ini‐ A ssisting H and A ssessment ( M ini‐ AHA ) for children with signs of unilateral cerebral palsy ( CP ) aged 8 to 18 months, and evaluate aspects of content and internal scale validity. Method The ability of the video‐recorded M ini‐ AHA play session to provoke bimanual performance in children with unilateral CP and typical development was evaluated. Original AHA test items were examined for their suitability for younger children and possible new items were generated. Data from 108 assessments of children with unilateral CP (86 children, 53 males, 33 females; mean age 13mo, SD 3mo, range 8–18mo) were entered into a R asch measurement model analysis to evaluate internal scale validity. A S pearman's correlation analysis explored the relationship between age and ability measures for children with unilateral CP . The frequency of maximum scores in 40 children with typical development (22 males, 18 females; mean age 12mo, SD 3mo) was examined. Results The M ini‐ AHA play session provoked bimanual responses in typically developing children 99% of the time. Person and item fit criteria established 20 items for the scale. The resultant unidimensional scale also demonstrated excellent discriminative features through high separation reliability. The item calibration values covered the range of person ability measures well. Age was not related to the ability measures for children with unilateral CP ( r s =0.178). All children with typical development achieved maximum scores. Interpretation Accumulated evidence shows that the M ini‐ AHA validly measures use of the affected hand during bimanual performance for children with unilateral CP aged 8 to 18 months. The Mini‐ AHA has the potential to be a useful assessment to evaluate functional hand use and the effects of intervention in an age group when potential for change is high.