Reliability and Convergent Validity of Two Visual-Perceptual Tests for Children with Cerebral Palsy

• Main Authors: Li-Ting Tsai, 蔡麗婷
• Other Authors: Ching-Lin Hsieh
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/64160018337816771252

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 職能治療研究所 === 94 === Background and Purposes: The Motor-Free Visual Perception Test-Revised (MVPT-R) and the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills-Revised (TVPS-R) have been widely administered to assess the visual-perceptual function of children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, the psychometric properties of both measures remain unknown in children with CP, limiting the application and interpretation of the MVPT-R and TVPS-R in both clinical and research settings. The purposes of this study were to examine the inter-rater reliability, intra-rater reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R in children with CP. Methods: A convenience sample of 52 children with CP was recruited from rehabilitation units or schools. The MVPT-R and the TVPS-R were administered on 52 participants by an occupational therapist (OT). Seven days later, 52 participants were randomly assigned to the same OT or another OT. About seven days before the reliability investigation, brief visual perception tests, visual-motor tests, and motor tests were administered on 47 participants to determine the convergent validity. In addition, the correlations between the total scores and the subscale scores of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R were used in a convergent validity investigation. Relative and absolute reliability indices were used to analyze the rater reliability, including the intraclass correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman method, standard error of measurement (SEM, SEM%), and smallest real difference (SRD, SRD%). Results: The intra-rater and inter-rater agreements of total scores of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R were excellent, with ICCs ranging from .92 to .97. The SEM% was small (<10%) for the intra-rater reliability of the MVPT-R and total scores of the TVPS-R. The SEM% was also small for the inter-rater reliability of the MVPT-R. The SRD% ranged from 16% to 31% for total scores of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R. However, the rater reliability were not consistent or satisfactory for some subscales and most items. The internal consistency was good for the MVPT-R/TVPS-R (alpha= .87 to .98). The total scores of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R had high to moderate correlation with other visual perceptual tests or subscale scores of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R (rho= .60 to .91) and moderate correlation with visual-motor and motor tests (r=.40 to .67), roughly supporting the convergent validity of both measures. Conclusion: The total scores of the MVPT-R and the total scores of the TVPS-R were reliable and internally consistent in children with CP. However, the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability were not consistent and satisfactory for some subscales and most items. The convergent validity of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R was roughly supported. The use of total scores of the MVPT-R/TVPS-R in research and clinics was recommended, but not the use of the subscale scores or item scores in children with CP. Key Words: Cerebral Palsy, Visual Perception, Reliability, Validity