Timo Hänninen1, Jari Parkkari2, Markku Tuominen3, Grant L Iverson4, Juha Öhman5, Matti Vartiainen6, Teemu M Luoto5. 1. UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere Research Centre of Sports Medicine, Finland. Electronic address: timo.hanninen@fimnet.fi. 2. UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere Research Centre of Sports Medicine, Finland. 3. International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Switzerland; Liiga/Finnish Ice Hockey Association, Finland; Medisport Ltd., Finland. 4. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, USA; MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sport Concussion Program, USA; Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, USA. 5. Department of Neurosurgery, Tampere University Hospital, Finland. 6. Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Division of Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To examine test-retest reliability of the SCAT3 for two consecutive seasons using a large sample of professional male ice hockey players, and to make recommendations for interpreting change on the test. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study. METHODS: Preseason baseline testing was administered in the beginning of the seasons 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 to 179 professional male hockey players in rink side settings. RESULTS: The test-retest reliabilities of the SCAT3 components were uniformly low. However, the majority of athletes remained grossly within their own individual performance range when two pre-season SCAT3 baseline scores were compared to published normative reference values. Being tested by the same person or a different person did not influence the results. It was uncommon for the Symptom score to worsen by ≥3 points, the Symptom Severity score to worsen by ≥5 points, SAC total score to worsen by ≥3 points, M-BESS total error points to increase by ≥3, or the time to complete Tandem Gait to increase by ≥4s; each occurred in less than 10% of the sample. CONCLUSIONS: The SCAT3 has low test-retest reliability. Change scores should be interpreted with caution, and more research is needed to determine the clinical usefulness of the SCAT3 for diagnosing concussion and monitoring recovery. Careful examination of the natural distributions of difference scores provides clinicians with useful information on how to interpret change on the test.
OBJECTIVES: To examine test-retest reliability of the SCAT3 for two consecutive seasons using a large sample of professional male ice hockey players, and to make recommendations for interpreting change on the test. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study. METHODS: Preseason baseline testing was administered in the beginning of the seasons 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 to 179 professional male hockey players in rink side settings. RESULTS: The test-retest reliabilities of the SCAT3 components were uniformly low. However, the majority of athletes remained grossly within their own individual performance range when two pre-season SCAT3 baseline scores were compared to published normative reference values. Being tested by the same person or a different person did not influence the results. It was uncommon for the Symptom score to worsen by ≥3 points, the Symptom Severity score to worsen by ≥5 points, SAC total score to worsen by ≥3 points, M-BESS total error points to increase by ≥3, or the time to complete Tandem Gait to increase by ≥4s; each occurred in less than 10% of the sample. CONCLUSIONS: The SCAT3 has low test-retest reliability. Change scores should be interpreted with caution, and more research is needed to determine the clinical usefulness of the SCAT3 for diagnosing concussion and monitoring recovery. Careful examination of the natural distributions of difference scores provides clinicians with useful information on how to interpret change on the test.
Authors: Robert F Graham; Cody R van Rassel; Joel S Burma; Trevor D Rutschmann; Lauren N Miutz; Bonnie Sutter; Kathryn Schneider Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2021-12-01 Impact factor: 2.860