Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Jebsen-Taylor test for adults with mild hemiparesis Avaliação das propriedades pscicométricas da versão em português do teste de Jebsen Taylor para adultos com hemiparesia leve

Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Jebsen-Taylor Test (JTT) in patients with stroke. Methods: Forty participants who suffered a stroke in the cerebral hemisphere were videotaped while performing the JTT. Scores were defined by the time taken to perform the tasks, and two physical therapists evaluated the performance of the participants. Intraand inter-rater reliability was defined by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) through videotape analysis. Cronbach’s alpha and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) were used to measure the internal consistency of the scale. Confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and the influence of handedness and educational level on the JTT scores was evaluated. Results: Inter-rater (ICC = 1.0; CI, 1.0-1.0) and intra-rater reliabilities (ICC=0.997; CI, 0.995-0.998) were excellent. Regarding internal consistency, Cronbach’s α was 0.924. The item “writing a sentence” was less consistent than the other items (Cronbach’s alpha=0.884). Pearson’s r (item score total score) was lower for the item “small objects” (r=0.657). There was no significant influence of handedness or educational level on the JTT scores. Conclusions: Videotaping test performances can be a useful tool in multicenter studies if inter-rater reliability is appropriate. The interand intra-rater reliabilities of the Portuguese version of the JTT were excellent in patients with stroke. The JTT can be a valuable tool for evaluating dexterity in research protocols aiming at efficacy of rehabilitation interventions.