Reliability Assessment of Sensory Outcome Measure a New Developed Tool for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the reliability of a recently developed Tool, designed for Hypoxic Cerebral Palsy Children (HCPC) to assess sensory deficits. Method: Internal consistency and all three types of reliability (intra-rater, test-retest, and inter-rater) were investigated. Twenty caregivers of HCPC were addressed. Principal rater took two readings for the intra-rater with a brief break, then another reading for test-retest after a seven-day interval. In the meantime, the observer took the readings for inter-rater reliability testing. The relative and absolute dependability of all three types of responses were evaluated after the recording. Findings : Spearman rank correlation and intraclass correlation values ranged from (0.934 to 1), demonstrating a very strong correlation. While the internal consistency was higher than desired, as indicated by Cronbach's alpha values, which ranged from (0.966 to 1). Cohen's kappa coefficient values for inter-rater reliability range from (0.048 to 0.188), and exhibited a small amount of agreement between the two observers. Standard Error of Measurement ranges from (1.026 to 3.810) and indicated credible results. All participant discrepancies on reliability testing were greater than the Minimal Detectable Change, indicating actual differences. Novelty: The uniqueness of this study lies not only in the selection of a recently developed tool for the assessment of sensory issues in HCPC, but also in its extensive analysis of all three types of reliability with both measures along with the assessment of internal consistency . It will be very helpful to researchers who want to create a new instrument or assess the precision of an existing outcome measure. It is the only study that offers a comprehensive analysis of each dependability approach together with the necessary statistical analysis. The Sensory Outcome Measure for Hypoxic Cerebral Palsy children is a reliable tool that has been developed for sensory testing in HCPC.