Reliability and validity of the Hebrew version of the International Spinal Cord Injury Activities and Participation Basic Data Set

BACKGROUND: The International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Activities and Participation Basic Data Set (APBDS) was created to facilitate comparisons of levels of function and disability in SCI individuals worldwide. AIM: Evaluating the reliability and validity of the APBDS’s Hebrew translation was our goal. DESIGN: Observational, cross-sectional study. SETTING: University and Outpatient Rehabilitation Department of a Medical Center. POPULATION: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: The APBDS’s Hebrew version was administered to fifty individuals with SCI. Reliability was evaluated through Cronbach Alpha Test and a test-retest method. Validity was determined by testing for convergence with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS) 2.0 and the Medical Outcomes Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). RESULTS: The Hebrew APBDS had a high test-retest reliability (ICC=0.792) and an adequate Cronbach alpha test (α=0.792). Significant convergent validity was partial with both the WHODAS 2.0 (strong in the self-care objective (r=-0.648) and subjective (r=-0.666), moderate in the total objective (r=-0.640) and subjective (r=-0.570) domains of the APBDS) and the SF-12 (moderate between the total objective domain and the Physical composite score (r=0.378), poor with the Mental composite score (r=0.310)). CONCLUSIONS: Although the Hebrew APBDS’s moderate reliability and validity warrants further research, it opens new vistas regarding assessment of SCI individuals’ satisfaction, activity, and participation. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: We feel that this data set may be used in the long-term follow-up of SCI individuals in the Sheba SCI rehabilitation registry.