Affiliations: Research Center for Children with Special Health Care
Needs, Franciscan Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA | Health and Disability Research Institute, School of
Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Helene M. Dumas MS, PT, Research Center,
Franciscan Hospital for Children, 30 Warren Street, Boston, MA 02135, USA.
Tel.: +1 617 254 3800 x5474; Fax: +1 617 779 1361; E-mail: hdumas@fhfc.org
Abstract: Objective: To examine the discriminant validity and scoring patterns
of the PEDI-CAT Mobility item bank for children who use a walking aid or
wheelchair. Methods: Parents whose children use a walking aid (n=35)
or a wheelchair (n=31) completed the full PEDI-CAT Mobility item bank (105
items including 13 walking aid and 14 wheelchair items) on-line. An independent
sample t-test was used to examine mean scores between the groups. Point
spread and placement of the scores along the overall 20–80 test scale and
response patterns for the 27 mobility device items were analyzed descriptively. Results: Mean scaled scores were significantly different (p < 0.001)
for the two groups. Mean score for the Wheelchair Group (38.37, SD=7.09)
was lower than the Walking Aid Group (46.97, SD=5.10). The Walking Aid
Group started and ended higher on the 20 to 80 scale metric than the Wheelchair
Group. No floor or ceiling effects were seen for the scoring of the 27 items
specifying use of a mobility device. Conclusion: The %scores of the PEDI-CAT Mobility domain could differentiate the functional mobility status
between known groups of children who use a walking aid or wheelchair and
provides specific items to measure functional mobility with use of a mobility device.
