Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Disability evaluation; Shoulder--Examination; Academic theses;

Abstract

Health outcome instruments attempt to measure patient's ability or change in ability. Region specific instruments offer practical data for athletic trainers, but serious limitations are hindering proper measurement within health outcomes research. First, these limitations are attributable to the classical test theory (CTT) approach of instrument development and evaluation. Second, they are attributable to the instruments' unknown measurement capabilities within a physically active population. Within recent years modern measurement theory (MMT), which accounts for CTT limitations, has been incorporated in the health sciences. The purpose of this study was to use MMT to assess the psychometric properties and measurement capabilities of six self-reported shoulder instruments, in a heterogeneous sample. The six chosen self-reported shoulder instruments included: 1. Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Index (DASH) 2. Flexilevel Scale of Shoulder Function (FLEX-SF) 3. Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ) 4. Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) 5. Simple Shoulder Test (SST) 6. Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI) This study was of an observational design which entailed 178 participants completing an instrument packet consisting of the six instruments and a patient characteristic form. The participants were sub-divided into three sub-samples which consisted of the healthy highly physically active, healthy generally physically active, and the injured. Before calibration of items and participants the MMT assumption of unidimensionality was assessed using a principal-axis component analysis. It was found that all instruments satisfied this assumption. The data were then calibrated using the FACETS computer software program within the partial credit model. Each instrument had comparable item difficulties, mostly oriented in the mid and lower ability ranges. The DASH was found to have the greatest range of item difficulty, however none of the instruments were able to adequately measure the higher ability ranges. The DASH and FLEX-SF were able to measure the mid-to-lower ability ranges with the smallest confidence intervals. The SPADI had even greater precision within the mid-range of ability. In conclusion new items must be developed to target the higher ranges of shoulder ability. Potential focus could be placed upon extreme ranges of motion, attach the component of strength, and be directed towards sport-specific activities.

Year of Submission

2006

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services

First Advisor

Todd Evans

Second Advisor

Brian Ragan

Third Advisor

Thomas Dompier

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

2006

Object Description

1 PDF file (153 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Included in

Kinesiology Commons

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