Klein Penelope J, Fiedler Roger C, Rose Debra J
Penelope J. Klein, PT, EdD: Faculty researcher and professor, Department of Physical Therapy, D'Youville College, Buffalo, New York.
Physiother Can. 2011 Winter;63(1):115-25. doi: 10.3138/ptc.2009-51. Epub 2011 Jan 20.
This cross-sectional study explores the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) Scale, a multi-item balance test for higher-functioning older adults.
Participants (n=480) were community-dwelling adults able to ambulate independently. Data gathering consisted of survey and balance performance assessment. Psychometric properties were assessed using Rasch analysis.
Mean age of participants was 76.4 (SD=7.1) years. Mean FAB Scale scores were 24.7/40 (SD=7.5). Analyses for scale dimensionality showed that 9 of the 10 items fit a unidimensional measure of balance. Item 10 (Reactive Postural Control) did not fit the model. The reliability of the scale to separate persons was 0.81 out of 1.00; the reliability of the scale to separate items in terms of their difficulty was 0.99 out of 1.00. Cronbach's alpha for a 10-item model was 0.805. Items of differing difficulties formed a useful ordinal hierarchy for scaling patterns of expected balance ability scoring for a normative population.
The FAB Scale appears to be a reliable and valid tool to assess balance function in higher-functioning older adults. The test was found to discriminate among participants of varying balance abilities. Further exploration of concurrent validity of Rasch-generated expected item scoring patterns should be undertaken to determine the test's diagnostic and prescriptive utility.
本横断面研究探讨富勒顿高级平衡（FAB）量表的心理测量特性和维度，该量表是一项针对功能较高的老年人的多项目平衡测试。
参与者（n = 480）为能够独立行走的社区居住成年人。数据收集包括调查和平衡能力评估。使用拉施分析评估心理测量特性。
参与者的平均年龄为76.4（标准差 = 7.1）岁。FAB量表的平均得分为24.7/40（标准差 = 7.5）。量表维度分析表明，10个项目中的9个符合平衡的单维度测量。项目10（反应性姿势控制）不符合该模型。量表区分个体的可靠性为1.00中的0.81；量表根据难度区分项目的可靠性为1.00中的0.99。10项模型的克朗巴哈系数为0.805。不同难度的项目形成了一个有用的顺序层次结构，用于对正常人群预期平衡能力评分的量表模式进行分级。
FAB量表似乎是评估功能较高的老年人平衡功能的可靠有效工具。该测试能够区分不同平衡能力的参与者。应进一步探索拉施生成的预期项目评分模式的同时效度，以确定该测试的诊断和指导效用。
