AUTHOR=Zhou Chunming , Chen Yijing , Zeng Wenhui , Huang Wujie , Wu Xuefei , Wang Yating , Zhong Jiamin , Cao Jianguo , Huang Meihuan 

TITLE=Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the selective control assessment of the lower extremity in children with spastic cerebral palsy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2024.1458066

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2024.1458066

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Objective</title><p>To assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity (SCALE) in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP).</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>Forty-five children with spastic CP (mean age 7.29 years, SD 2.87 years, rang 4–16 years) were recruited. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s α, while test–retest and inter-rater reliability were evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Construct validity was established through correlation and confirmatory factor analyses. Discriminative validity was assessed by comparing SCALE scores across varying GMFCS levels.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>The Chinese version of SCALE demonstrates high internal consistency (Cronbach’s <italic>α</italic> = 0.91) and good reliability with ICCs exceeding 0.76 for test–retest and inter-rater assessments. It shows significant correlations with GMFCS (<italic>r</italic> = −0.76, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) and Fugl-Meyer scales (<italic>r</italic> = 0.79, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), confirming its validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supports a well-fitting model (<italic>χ</italic><sup>2</sup>/df = 1.58, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR &lt;0.001, GFI = 0.98, AGFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.98), with the latent variable’s AVE at 0.59 and CR at 0.88. Discriminative validity is evident in significant differences across GMFCS levels (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), notably between levels I and II, I and III, and I and IV (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05).</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>The Chinese version of SCALE shows good reliability and validity for assessing lower limb selective movement control in children with spastic cerebral palsy in China.</p></sec><sec id="sec5"><title>Clinical trial registration</title><p><uri xlink:href="https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=205380" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=205380</uri>, identifier ChiCTR2400083880.</p></sec>