Functional Cognition-Patient Reported Outcomes Short Forms and Keyform Ability Maps.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and demonstrate the item-level psychometrics of the Functional Cognition-Patient Reported Outcome (FC-PRO) short forms and keyform ability maps that promote measurement efficiency and provide collaborative goal setting opportunities between therapists and patients.

DESIGN

Using the Rasch model, FC-PRO data from a previous cross-sectional study of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were analyzed to develop short forms of 13 to 15 items and keyform ability maps for the following FC-PRO domains: Attention, Memory, Processing Speed, and Emotional Management.

SETTING

Outpatient clinics and community locations.

PARTICIPANTS

Persons 18 to 85 years of age who self-reported a moderate to severe TBI and who completed the FC-PRO (n=90).

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

FC-PRO long forms and short forms for Attention, Memory, Processing Speed, and Emotional Management domains.

RESULTS

For the short forms, person separation reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.82. Person measures for the short forms and long form correlated strongly (0.91-0.97). For each domain, a keyform ability map indicated functional cognitive challenges that matched the patient, that is, that would be at a level neither too hard nor too easy for patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The FC-PRO short forms can provide efficient measures of the effect of cognition challenges in everyday life. Keyform ability maps of the cognitive domains can serve as a tool for goal setting and treatment planning by patients and rehabilitation therapists. By superimposing short-form response patterns onto response patterns of the long forms, patients can be empowered to identify preferences and priorities for rehabilitation goals.