Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale in cerebral palsy

• Published in: Gait & posture Vol. 96; pp. 295 - 300
• Main Authors: Erturan, Sinem, Atalan, Pelin, Çimen, Yasin Ali, Gökmen, Derya, Akkoyun Sert, Özlem, Yılmaz, Kamil, Elbasan, Bülent
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.07.2022
• Subjects: Cerebral Palsy; Child; Humans; Physical Therapy Modalities; Postural Balance; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires; Cerebral palsy; Validity; Hemiplegia; Diplegia; Balance
• ISSN: 0966-6362; 1879-2219
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.06.007

The Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB) is a multi-item balance assessment test designed to measure balance in relatively higher functioning individuals. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the FAB (FAB-T) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Is the Turkish version of the Fullerton Advance Balance Scale valid and reliable in determining balance problems in children with cerebral palsy and determining the underlying cause of this condition? Forty-six children with CP participated in this study. Rasch analysis was used to investigate item adherence. Internal consistency of the FAB-T was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Test-retest reliability was also evaluated. In addition, to assess concurrent validity, FAB-T scores were compared with the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) using the Spearman correlation coefficient. The FAB-T showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha value=0.94) and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC=0.99). The FAB and the PBS exhibited concurrent positive validity (r = 0.913; p < 0.001). All items of the FAB-T were found to fit the Rasch Model (Chi-square 16.01(df=20), p = 0.716). The FAB-T is a reliable and valid tool that can be used to measure balance skills and to identify the source of the problem in children with CP.