Berg Balance Scale is a Valid Measure for Plan Interventions and for Assessing Changes in Postural Balance in Patients with Stroke.

OBJECTIVES

After confirming the measurement properties of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in patients with stroke by conducting a Rasch analysis, this study sought: (i) to generate a keyform as a tool for goal-setting and intervention-planning; and (ii) to determine the appropriate strata for separating patients' postural balance ability.

DESIGN

Methodological analyses of cross-sectional study data.

PATIENTS

A pooled sample of 156 patients with stroke: mean (standard deviation) age 74.4 (12.9) years.

METHODS

This study evaluated the BBS's rating scale structure, unidimensionality, and measurement accuracy (0: unable to perform or requiring help, to 4: normal performance) and then generated a keyform and strata.

RESULTS

The BBS rating scale fulfilled the category functioning criteria. Principal component analysis of standardized residuals confirmed the unidimensionality of the test. All items fit the Rasch analysis. Person ability-item difficulty matching was good. Person reliability was 0.96, and the patients were divided into 9 strata. The keyform for the BBS will enable clinicians and investigators to estimate patients' postural balance ability and monitor their progress.

CONCLUSION

The BBS has strong measurement properties. This study generated both a keyform that can contribute to clinicians' decision-making in goalsetting and intervention-planning and strata that can facilitate understanding of patients' abilities.