Psychometric testing of the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment.

The goal of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment. Interrater and intrarater reliability and score stability were tested using repeated administration of this test. The Functional Independence Measure and Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, as well as patient characteristics, were used to determine the validity of the assessment. One hundred and two persons with ingestive skill loss of neurologic origin were evaluated. Intraclass correlations for interrater, intrarater reliability and stability reached or surpassed 0.80 for most subscales. In validity testing, significant relationships were found between McGill Ingestive scores and Functional Independence Measure and Mini-Mental scores, as well as with patient characteristics. It is concluded that the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment approaches or meets levels of reliability necessary for assessing patients and is valid for adults with neurogenic feeding difficulties residing in tertiary care facilities.