Methodology for the development and calibration of the SCI-QOL item banks

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2015 · DOI: 10.1179/2045772315Y.0000000034 · Published: May 1, 2015

Spinal Cord Injury Participation Patient Experience

Simple Explanation

The Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) measurement system has been developed over the past 10 years to address the unmet need for comprehensive, conceptually relevant, psychometrically sound, and brief yet precise patient reported outcomes measures (PROs) for use in SCI research and practice. This manuscript outlines the methodologies used in the five phases of the SCI-QOL development project – namely, (1) subdomain selection, (2) item development, (3) field testing, (4) psychometric analysis and IRT calibration, and (5) testing in a new sample to assess of psychometric properties The SCI-QOL measurement system provides SCI researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive, relevant and psychometrically robust system for measurement of physical-medical, physical-functional, emotional, and social outcomes.

Study Duration

10 Years

Participants

877 individuals with traumatic SCI

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
We developed 14 unidimensional calibrated item banks and 3 calibrated scales across physical, emotional, and social health domains.
2
When combined with the five Spinal Cord Injury – Functional Index physical function banks, the final SCI-QOL system consists of 22 IRT-calibrated item banks/scales.
3
All SCI-QOL instruments are freely available on Assessment CenterSM.

Research Summary

The Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) measurement system has been developed over the past 10 years to address the unmet need for comprehensive, conceptually relevant, psychometrically sound, and brief yet precise patient reported outcomes measures (PROs) for use in SCI research and practice. The SCI-QOL measurement system provides SCI researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive, relevant and psychometrically robust system for measurement of physical-medical, physical-functional, emotional, and social outcomes. Nineteen SCI-QOL item banks and 3 fixed scales, including those described in the 11 topic-specific manuscripts in this special issue as well as the physical functioning banks which have been described previously, have utilized the methodology described in this manuscript.

Practical Implications

Comprehensive Assessment

Provides a comprehensive system for measuring physical, emotional, and social outcomes for individuals with SCI.

Improved Comparability

Links to PROMIS and Neuro-QOL facilitate comparisons across different studies and populations.

Optimized Measurement

SCI-specific calibrations optimize measurement for individuals with SCI, ensuring relevance and sensitivity.

Study Limitations

1
Further work is needed on the responsiveness of this scale, in light of how individuals with SCI evolve and change following their injury.
2
Establishment of clinically relevant scoring classifications and minimal clinically important differences will be important in facilitating use of SCI-QOL in clinical trials.
3
Stakeholder participation in all phases of the study has been limited to those individuals with traumatic SCI.

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