CLINICAL TESTING OF AN INNOVATIVE TOOL FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF BIOMECHANICAL STRATEGIES: THE TIMED UP AND GO ASSESSMENT OF BIOMECHANICAL STRATEGIES (TUG-ABS) FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH STROKE

Objective: To investigate the reliability and construct and criterion-related validities of the Timed Up and Go Assessment of Biomechanical Strategies (TUG-ABS), when used with subjects with hemiparesis due to stroke within clinical settings. Design/methods: Construct validity was investigated by the following methods: the known groups, convergence, discriminant analyses, and the opinions of clinical professionals, who used the TUG-ABS with subjects with stroke. The criterion-related validity was investigated by comparing the real-time and video observation scores. Inter-rater reliability was investigated by two independent examiners using both real-time and video observations. Results: The TUG-ABS differentiated people with stroke from healthy controls (p < 0.001), was correlated with the time spent to perform the TUG (r(s) = -0.85: p < 0.001), and correctly classified 98% of the subjects with stroke (p < 0.001). In addition, all of the clinicians who used the TUG-ABS in their clinical settings, provided positive evaluations. Agreement was also observed between real-time and video observations (0.27 <= kappa <= .0.85; p < 0.01). Furthermore, the TUG-ABS was reliable for both real-time (0.24 <= kappa <= 1.00; p < 0.05) and video observations (0.15 <= kappa <= 0.94; p < 0.05). Conclusion: The TUG-ABS demonstrated good construct and criterion-related validities, as well as reliability, when applied in subjects with stroke within clinical settings, which supported the theoretical assumptions employed for its development.