Measurement Property Summary
Number of studies reporting psychometric properties: 4
Interpretability
- Higher score indicate better levels of function.
- No cut scores or norms have been established for the SCI population.
- Published data for the SCI population are available for comparison (see Interpretability section of the Study Details sheet)
- MCID: not established in SCI
- SEM: 0.7 points
- MDC: Smallest Real Difference (SRD) = 1.9 points (13%)
(Gait parameter subscale, Lam et al. 2008, data from Field-Forte et al. 2001; n=22; 17 males, 5 females; incomplete SCI)
Typical Values
Mean (SD) Scores:
- Gait parameter component = 18.5 (3.3); range: 7-20
- Assistive devices component = 11.4 (2.7); range: 7-14
- Walking mobility component = 3.7 (1.2); range: 2-5
(Lemay & Nadeau 2010; n=32, 25 males, 7 females; AIS D; level of injury: 17 cervical, 10 thoracic, and 5 lumbar; mean (SD) time since injury: 77.2 (44.3) days)
Reliability – Moderate to High
Number of studies reporting reliability data: 1
- High inter-rater reliability of the SCI-FAI for video-taped testings: ICC= 0.800-0.840
- Moderate inter-rater reliability of the SCI-FAI for live testing: ICC= 0.703
- High intra-rater reliability: ICC= 0.850-0.956
(Field-Fote et al. 2001; n=22; 17 males, 5 females; incomplete SCI)
Validity – Low to Moderate
Number of studies reporting validity data: 3
- Low to Moderate correlation with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS):
- SCI-FAI Gait: r = 0.31
- SCI-FAI Assistive Device: r= -0.10
- SCI-FAI Walking Mobility: r = 0.44
(Datta et al. 2009; n=97; 71 males, 26 females; Incomplete SCI; AIS-C/D; mean time since injury: 11.9 months)
- High correlation with instruments measuring the same construct as the SCI-FAI: Gait Score & Walking Speed:
- VS1: r= -0.742
- VS2: r= -0.700
- Gait Score & Subject self-report on walking mobility: VS1: r= 0.697
(Field-Fote et al. 2001; n=22; 17 males, 5 females; incomplete SCI)
- Low to High correlation with other walking scales:
- SCI-FAI Parameter:
- Berg Balance Scale: r = 0.747
- 2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT): r = 0.805
- Walking Index for SCI II (WISCI II): r = 0.761
- 10 Meter Walk Test (10MWT): r = 0.777
- Timed Up and Go (TUG): r = -0.761
- SCI-FAI Assistive devices:
- BBS: r = 0.714
- 2MWT: r = 0.740
- WISCI II: r = 0.980
- 10MWT: r = 0.788
- TUG: r = -0.802
- SCI-FAI mobility:
- BBS: r = 0.740
- 2MWT: r = 0.740
- WISCI II: r = 0.980
- 10MWT: r = 0.788
- TUG: r = -0.802
(Lemay & Nadeau 2010; n=32, 25 males, 7 females; AIS D; level of injury: 17 cervical, 10 thoracic, and 5 lumbar; mean (SD) time since injury: 77.2 (44.3) days)
Responsiveness
Subjects who participated in experimental walking rehabilitation intervention, showed a statistically significant increase (44.7%) in mean gait score following training.
(Field-Fote et al. 2001; n=22; 17 males, 5 females; incomplete SCI)
Floor/ceiling effect
A ceiling effect was present on 3 subscales of the SCI-FAI (gait parameter, assistive devices and walking mobility); % of subjects reaching maximal score on the scale for each is as follows:
- Parameter: 68.8%
- Assistive Devices: 34.4%
- Walking Mobility: 34.4%.
(Lemay & Nadeau 2010; n=32, 25 males, 7 females; AIS D; level of injury: 17 cervical, 10 thoracic, and 5 lumbar; mean (SD) time since injury: 77.2 (44.3) days)
Reviewers
Dr. Carlos L. Cano-Herrera, Tyra Chu
Date Last Updated
December 31, 2024
