Keywords

assessment tool, psychometric properties, reliability, support needs, traumatic brain injury

 

Authors

  1. Soo, Cheryl PhD
  2. Tate, Robyn PhD
  3. Hopman, Kate BAppSc (Occ Therapy)
  4. Forman, Marcella MA
  5. Secheny, Tanya BAppSc (Occ Therapy)
  6. Aird, Vanessa BAppSc (Speech Path)
  7. Browne, Stuart MD
  8. Coulston, Carissa PhD

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the reliability of the Care and Needs Scale (CANS) for measuring the level and types of support needs of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

 

Method: Interrater reliability was examined in a cohort of 30 community clients with TBI by comparing CANS ratings completed by 2 occupational therapists (OTs) and a case manager. CANS ratings on the same clients were also completed 1 week later to examine test-retest reliability. Reliability of proxy ratings was investigated in a cohort of 40 community clients with TBI by comparing CANS ratings completed by a clinical researcher, multidisciplinary team, relative, and client.

 

Results: Level of support need as measured by the CANS showed excellent interrater reliability both within and across disciplines: ICC = 0.95 between 2 OTs and ICC = 0.93 and 0.96 between OTs and case manager. Test-retest reliability of the CANS over a 1-week period was also excellent (ICC = 0.98). Although the agreement between the clinical researcher and multidisciplinary team was excellent (ICC = 0.92), ICCs with relative and client ratings were variable, ranging from 0.37 to 0.72.

 

Conclusions: The excellent inter-rater and test-retest reliability findings from this present study, together with the evidence for validity reported previously, indicate that the CANS is a reliable and valid instrument for application in clinical practice.