Development, validity and reliability of the 'Sitting Balance Measure' (SBM) in spinal cord injury.

Methods: This is a methodological research design.

Objective: Spinal cord injury (SCI) may result in the inability to sit unsupported. This may lead to difficulty performing daily living activities. To make the subjects with SCI independent in their daily living to the maximum possible extent, therapists provide them balance training for which they may require to assess the sitting balance. This study aims to develop an objective measure 'Sitting Balance Measure' (SBM) for the assessment of sitting balance of the subjects with SCI, and to determine its content validity and internal consistency reliability.

Methods: This study was conducted in New Delhi, India. Methods: The study was conducted in three phases, namely planning, construction and quantitative evaluation phase. Thirty-six items were generated through the review of literature and semistructured interviews. Qualitative and quantitative content validation through the expert opinion and the content validity ratio (CVR) method resulted in the 24-item scale, which was pilot-tested on a purposive sample of 30 subjects with SCI. Item analysis was conducted to determine internal consistency reliability.

Results: CVR method and qualitative review by the experts validated the content of SBM. The SBM has high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.96).

Conclusions: SBM is a valid scale for the assessment of sitting balance in subjects with SCI. Internal consistency reliability of SBM is high. This may be indicative of item redundancy, which necessitates the need for the second pilot test to refine the scale further.