• Comprised of 3 of the 10 domains originally included in the QIF.
  • Includes the categories of grooming, bathing and feeding.
  • This version of the QIF includes the categories that relate directly to the upper extremity motor score assessment of ASIA.

Clinical Considerations

  • Designed specifically for SCI population.
  • ASIA motor scores are strongly correlated to performance improvement on QIF scores
  • It is not a comprehensive measure of upper extremity function or predictor of independence in ADLs upon discharge.
  • The QIF reflects small gains in function

ICF Domain

Activity ▶ Self-Care

Administration

  • clinician-administered; interview format
  • administration time is approximately 10 minutes
  • The functional performance categories are scored 0-4 in order of increasing independence.

Number of Items

14

Equipment

None

Scoring

Each category of functional performance is calculated according to weighted scores.

Languages

N/A

Training Required

Does not require advanced training.

Availability

Can be found in the appendix of the following article: Marino 1993. Assessing selfcare status in quadriplegia: comparison of the quadriplegia index of function (QIF) and the functional independence measure (FIM). Paraplegia, 1993; 31:225-233.(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8493037/)

# of studies reporting psychometric properties: 1

Interpretability

  • Scores are provided to give credit for being able to complete a portion of the task rather than the entire task.
  • The scores represent functional performance in activities rather than performance in component parts

MCID: not established for SCI
SEM: not established for SCI
MDC: not established for SCI

Reliability

Inter-correlations of items within the same category for each domain:

  • Grooming: r = 0.65-0.70
  • Bathing: r = 0.67-0.93
  • Feeding: r = 0.44-0.88

(Marino et al. 1993)

Validity

  • Correlation of the modified QIF and its subscales with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) subscales and the Upper Extremity Motor Score (UEMS) subscales measuring the constructs were High
    • QIF-modified and FIM: r = 0.93
      • Subscale – Grooming: r = 0.94
      • Subscale – Bathing: r = 0.92
      • Subscale – Feeding:  r = 0.75
    • QIF-modified and UEMS: r = 0.91
      • Subscale – Grooming: r = 0.90
      • Subscale – Bathing: r = 0.84
      • Subscale – Feeding: r = 0.90
  • Feeding ability was assessed by the QIF significantly better than by the FIM (P<.01)

(Marino et al. 1993)

Responsiveness

No data on responsiveness was available for the QIF-modified.

Reviewers

Dr. William Miller, Christie Chan, Gita Manhas

Date Last Updated

22 July 2020

Marino RJ, Huang M, Knight P, Herbison GJ, Ditunno JF Jr, Segal M. Assessing selfcare status in quadriplegia: comparison of the quadriplegia index of function (QIF) and the functional independence measure (FIM). Paraplegia, 1993; 31:225-233.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8493037

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