Measurement properties of the spinal cord injury-functional index (SCI-FI) short forms

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Study developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of short forms for each of the Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index (SCI-FI) item banks (basic mobility, self-care, fine motor, ambulation, and manual and power wheelchair mobility). Data were collected from 855 individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) recruited from 6 national SCI Model Systems facilities. Measurement properties were assessed in terms of internal consistency; correlations between short forms banks, full-item bank forms, and a 10-item computer adaptive test version; magnitude of ceiling and floor effects; and test information functions. The SCI-FI short forms (with separate versions for individuals with paraplegia and tetraplegia) demonstrate very good internal consistency, group-level reliability, excellent correlations between short forms and scores based on the total item bank, and minimal ceiling and floor effects (except ceiling effects for people with paraplegia on self-care, fine motor, and power wheelchair ability and floor effects for people with tetraplegia on self-care, fine motor, and manual wheelchair ability). The test information functions are acceptable across the range of scores where most individuals in the sample performed. Clinicians and researchers should consider the SCI-FI short forms when computer adaptive testing is not feasible.

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