Abstract
Study design
Psychometric study, cross-sectional validation study.
Objectives
To adapt and validate the Japanese version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure self-report (SCIM-SR).
Setting
A spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation facility in Japan.
Methods
We adapted the SCIM-SR for the Japanese population by translating and validating the questionnaire in accordance with the international guidelines. Following this, we analyzed 100 inpatients with SCI. We evaluated their independence using the Japanese SCIM-SR, and compared the data with those assessed using the SCIM III by trained ward nurses.
Results
Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were 0.95 for the total score, 0.89 for self-care, 0.83 for respiration and sphincter management, and 0.89 for mobility subscores. The Bland–Altman analysis revealed no significant proportional bias (−0.02; 95% CI [−0.07, 0.06]), but a significant fixed bias (2; 95% CI [0.5, 3.5]). We did not identify any specific factor that affected the differences between SCIM III and SCIM-SR scores.
Conclusions
Our study validated the Japanese version of SCIM-SR as a tool for the evaluation of the independence of persons with SCI, which could substitute SCIM III and help facilitate a deeper understanding of activities of daily living among patients with SCI.
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Data availability
The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge Dr. Christine Fekete (Swiss Paraplegic Research) for her permission to use the SCIM-SR in the current study. We thank Professor Timothy Minton (Keio University) for his arrangement in volunteer recruitment. Furthermore, we thank the participants and volunteers for their generous participation in the study.
Funding
This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists (grant no. 18K17705 to ST).
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Contributions
OU designed the study. ST, OU, and KU translated the SCIM-SR. ST and OU organized the validation of the translation. ST and OU performed data collection and analysis. ST, OU, and ML prepared the manuscript.
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The authors declare no competing interests.
Ethical approval
The protocol was reviewed and approved by our hospital’s research ethics committee. The study number is 17-01. We certify that all applicable institutional and governmental regulations concerning the ethical use of human volunteers were followed during the course of this research.
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Takeuchi, S., Uemura, O., Unai, K. et al. Adaptation and validation of the Japanese version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III) self-report. Spinal Cord 59, 1096–1103 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-021-00633-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-021-00633-5
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