Ann-Kristin G Elvrum1,2, Guro L Andersen2,3, Kate Himmelmann4, Eva Beckung5, Ann-Marie Öhrvall6, Stian Lydersen7, Torstein Vik2. 1. a Department of Clinical Services , St. Olavs University Hospital , Trondheim , Norway. 2. b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine , Norwegian University of Science and Technology , Trondheim , Norway. 3. c Vestfold Hospital Trust , The Cerebral Palsy Register of Norway , Tønsberg , Norway. 4. d Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital , Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden. 5. e Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology , Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden. 6. f Department of Women's and Children's Health , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden. 7. g Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Faculty of Medicine , Norwegian University of Science and Technology , Trondheim , Norway.
Abstract
UNLABELLED: The Bimanual Fine Motor Function (BFMF) is currently the principal classification of hand function recorded by the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) register. The BFMF is used in a number of epidemiological studies, but has not yet been validated. AIMS: To examine aspects of construct and content validity of the BFMF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Construct validity of the BFMF was assessed by comparison with the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) using register-based data from 539 children born 1999-2003 (304 boys; 4-12 years). The high correlation with the MACS (Spearman's rho = 0.89, CI: 0.86-0.91, p<.001) supports construct validity of the BFMF. The content of the BFMF was appraised through literature review, and by using the ICF-CY as a framework to compare the BFMF and MACS. The items hold, grasp and manipulate were found to be relevant to describe increasingly advanced fine motor abilities in children with CP, but the description of the BFMF does not state whether it is a classification of fine motor capacity or performance. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the BFMF may provide complementary information to the MACS regarding fine motor function and actual use of the hands, particularly if used as a classification of fine motor capacity.
UNLABELLED: The Bimanual Fine Motor Function (BFMF) is currently the principal classification of hand function recorded by the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) register. The BFMF is used in a number of epidemiological studies, but has not yet been validated. AIMS: To examine aspects of construct and content validity of the BFMF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Construct validity of the BFMF was assessed by comparison with the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) using register-based data from 539 children born 1999-2003 (304 boys; 4-12 years). The high correlation with the MACS (Spearman's rho = 0.89, CI: 0.86-0.91, p<.001) supports construct validity of the BFMF. The content of the BFMF was appraised through literature review, and by using the ICF-CY as a framework to compare the BFMF and MACS. The items hold, grasp and manipulate were found to be relevant to describe increasingly advanced fine motor abilities in children with CP, but the description of the BFMF does not state whether it is a classification of fine motor capacity or performance. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the BFMF may provide complementary information to the MACS regarding fine motor function and actual use of the hands, particularly if used as a classification of fine motor capacity.
Entities:
Keywords:
Bimanual fine motor function; cerebral palsy; classification; fine motor; manual ability classification system; validity