Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Psychometric performance of a generic walking scale (Walk-12G) in multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease

  • Original Communication
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Walking difficulties are common in neurological and other disorders, as well as among the elderly. There is a need for reliable and valid instruments for measuring walking difficulties in everyday life since existing gait tests are clinician rated and focus on situation specific capacity. The Walk-12G was adapted from the 12-item multiple sclerosis walking scale as a generic patient-reported rating scale for walking difficulties in everyday life. The aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Walk-12G in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The Walk-12G was translated into Swedish and evaluated qualitatively among 25 people with and without various neurological and other conditions. Postal survey (MS, n = 199; PD, n = 189) and clinical (PD, n = 36) data were used to test its psychometric properties. Respondents considered the Walk-12G relevant and easy to use. Mean completion time was 3.5 min. Data completeness was good (<5% missing item responses) and tests of scaling assumptions supported summing item scores to a total score (corrected item-total correlations >0.6). Coefficient alpha and test–retest reliabilities were >0.9, and standard errors of measurement were 2.3–2.8. Construct validity was supported by correlations in accordance with a priori expectations. Results are similar to those with previous Walk-12G versions, indicating that scale adaptation was successful. Data suggest that the Walk-12G meets rating scale criteria for clinical trials, making it a valuable complement to available gait tests. Further studies involving other samples and application of modern psychometric methods are warranted to examine the scale in more detail.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Myhr KM, Riise T, Vedeler C, Nortvedt MW, Gronning R, Midgard R, Nyland HI (2001) Disability and prognosis in multiple sclerosis: demographic and clinical variables important for the ability to walk and awarding of disability pension. Mult Scler 7(1):59–65

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Schrag A, Ben-Shlomo Y, Quinn N (2002) How common are complications of Parkinson’s disease? J Neurol 249(4):419–423

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Martinez-Martin P, Garcia Urra D, del Ser Quijano T, Balseiro Gomez J, Gomez Utrero E, Pineiro R, Andres MT (1997) A new clinical tool for gait evaluation in Parkinson’s disease. Clin Neuropharmacol 20(3):183–194

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Shumway-Cook A, Woollacott M (2007) Motor control: translating research into clinical practice. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  5. Thomas M, Jankovic J, Suteerawattananon M, Wankadia S, Caroline KS, Vuong KD, Protas E (2004) Clinical gait and balance scale (GABS): validation and utilization. J Neurol Sci 217(1):89–99

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Department of Health (2008) High quality care for all–NHS Next Stage Review Final Report. Department of Health, UK

  7. Food and Drug Administration (2009) Patient-Reported Outcome measures: Use in Medicinal Product Development to Support Labelling Claims. Washington DC

  8. Hobart JC, Riazi A, Lamping DL, Fitzpatrick R, Thompson AJ (2003) Measuring the impact of MS on walking ability: the 12-Item MS Walking Scale (MSWS-12). Neurology 60(1):31–36

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Holland A, O’Connor RJ, Thompson AJ, Playford ED, Hobart JC (2006) Talking the talk on walking the walk: a 12-item generic walking scale suitable for neurological conditions? J Neurol 253(12):1594–1602

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hobart J (2011) The Multiple Sclerosis Impacts Scale (MSIS-29): Initial development; subsequent revision; lessons learned. In: Jenkinson C, Peters M, Bromberg MB (eds) Quality of Life Measurement in Neurodegenerative and Related Conditions. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 24–40

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  11. Swaine-Verdier A, Doward LC, Hagell P, Thorsen H, McKenna SP (2004) Adapting quality of life instruments. Value Health 7(Suppl 1):S27–S30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Fahn S, Elton RL (1987) Members of the UPDRS development committee Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. In: Fahn S, Marsden CD, Calne DB, Goldstein M (eds) Recent developments in Parkinson’s disease, vol 2. MacMillan Healthcare Information, Florham Park, pp 153–163

    Google Scholar 

  13. Hagell P, Törnqvist AL, Hobart J (2008) Testing the SF-36 in Parkinson’s disease: Implications for reporting rating scale data. J Neurol 255(2):246–254

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hobart J, Freeman J, Lamping D, Fitzpatrick R, Thompson A (2001) The SF-36 in multiple sclerosis: why basic assumptions must be tested. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 71(3):363–370

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hobart J, Lamping D, Fitzpatrick R, Riazi A, Thompson A (2001) The Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29): a new patient-based outcome measure. Brain 124(Pt 5):962–973

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hobson JP, Edwards NI, Meara RJ (2001) The Parkinson’s disease activities of Daily Living Scale: a new simple and brief subjective measure of disability in Parkinson’s disease. Clin Rehabil 15(3):241–246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kurtzke JF (1983) Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis: an expanded disability status scale (EDSS). Neurology 33(11):1444–1452

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lim LI, van Wegen EE, de Goede CJ, Jones D, Rochester L, Hetherington V, Nieuwboer A, Willems AM, Kwakkel G (2005) Measuring gait and gait-related activities in Parkinson’s patients own home environment: a reliability, responsiveness and feasibility study. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 11(1):19–24

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Louis ED, Lynch T, Marder K, Fahn S (1996) Reliability of patient completion of the historical section of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. Mov Disord 11(2):185–192

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. McKenna SP, Doward LC, Twiss J, Hagell P, Oprandi NC, Fisk J, Grand’Maison F, Bhan V, Arbizu T, Brassat D, Kohlmann T, Meads DM, Eckert BJ (2010) International development of the patient-reported outcome indices for multiple sclerosis (PRIMUS). Value Health 13(8):946–951

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Nilsson MH, Drake AM, Hagell P (2010) Assessment of fall-related self-efficacy and activity avoidance in people with Parkinson’s disease. BMC Geriatr 10:78. doi:10.1186/1471-2318-10-78

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Nilsson MH, Hariz GM, Wictorin K, Miller M, Forsgren L, Hagell P (2010) Development and testing of a self administered version of the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire. BMC neurology 10:85

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Ware JE Jr, Gandek B (1998) Methods for testing data quality, scaling assumptions, and reliability: the IQOLA Project approach. International Quality of Life Assessment. J Clin Epidemiol 51(11):945–952

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Hobart J, Cano S (2009) Improving the evaluation of therapeutic interventions in multiple sclerosis: the role of new psychometric methods. Health Technol Assess 13 (12):iii, ix–x, 1–177

    Google Scholar 

  25. O’Connor BP (2000) SPSS and SAS programs for determining the number of components using parallel analysis and velicer’s MAP test. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput 32(3):396–402

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. McGuigan C, Hutchinson M (2004) Confirming the validity and responsiveness of the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12). Neurology 62(11):2103–2105

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Motl RW, Snook EM (2008) Confirmation and extension of the validity of the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12). J Neurol Sci 268(1–2):69–73

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Baron R, Elashaal A, Germon T, Hobart J (2006) Measuring outcomes in cervical spine surgery: think twice before using the SF-36. Spine 31(22):2575–2584

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Wyrwich KW, Bullinger M, Aaronson N, Hays RD, Patrick DL, Symonds T (2005) Estimating clinically significant differences in quality of life outcomes. Qual Life Res 14(2):285–295

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Goodman AD, Brown TR, Krupp LB, Schapiro RT, Schwid SR, Cohen R, Marinucci LN, Blight AR (2009) Sustained-release oral fampridine in multiple sclerosis: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial. Lancet 373(9665):732–738

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Streiner DL, Norman GR (2008) Health measurement scales: a practical guide to their development and use, 4th edn. Oxford University Press Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  32. Nilsson MH, Hagell P (2009) Freezing of Gait Questionnaire: validity and reliability of the Swedish version. Acta Neurol Scand 120(5):331–334

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wann-Hansson C, Klevsgard R, Hagell P (2008) Cross-diagnostic validity of the Nottingham Health Profile Index of Distress (NHPD). Health Qual Life Outcomes 6:47

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the respondents, interviewees, translators and lay people for their cooperation. We are also grateful to Martina Eliasson, Jan Reimer, Klas Wictorin, Gun Jadbäck, Lars Forsgren, Mona Edström and Birgitta Wikström for assistance with data collection and sampling. The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Parkinson Foundation, the Swedish Parkinson Academy, the Skane County Council Research and Development Foundation, and the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University. MHN was in part supported by the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, within the context of the Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments (CASE), Lund University, Sweden.

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Stina Bladh, Maria H. Nilsson & Peter Hagell

  2. Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden

    Stina Bladh, Maria H. Nilsson & Peter Hagell

  3. Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Gun-Marie Hariz

  4. Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Gun-Marie Hariz

  5. School of Health and Society, Kristianstad University, 291 88, Kristianstad, Sweden

    Albert Westergren & Peter Hagell

  6. Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Peninsula Medical School, Plymouth, UK

    Jeremy Hobart

Authors
  1. Stina Bladh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria H. Nilsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gun-Marie Hariz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Albert Westergren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jeremy Hobart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Peter Hagell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Hagell.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bladh, S., Nilsson, M.H., Hariz, GM. et al. Psychometric performance of a generic walking scale (Walk-12G) in multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. J Neurol 259, 729–738 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-6254-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-6254-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation