Research Paper: The Consistency and Construct Validity of Wolf Motor Function Test With Functional Variablesand SF-36 Questionnaire in Iranian Stroke Patients

Background: One of the most important indicators for assessing the validity of a scale is thedetermination of the construct validity of that scale. Since no standard gold test exists to measurethe upper limb function in patients with stroke, the study of the construct validity of the Wolf MotorFunction Test (WMFT) is of particular importance.Objectives: To evaluate the construct validity of the scores of the Persian version of the WMFTwith functional variables, as well as to verify its convergence validity with the physical componentsummary of the SF-36 Health Survey, and its discriminant validity with the mental componentsummary of SF-36 Health Survey.Materials & Methods: The tests were conducted on 56 patients with stroke, and the scores werecalculated. By using this data, the construct validity of the Wolf scale and the convergence anddiscriminant validity of the scores derived from the Persian version of WMFT, and the physical andmental component summary of the SF-36 Health Survey were obtained.Results: There was no significant correlation between the age and duration of the stroke in patients,and the total functional score and the median time of performing the tasks of the Persian version ofWMFT (P> 0.05). No significant difference was seen between the sexes in terms of the total score ofperforming tasks, but the median time of performing the tasks was significantly different betweenmen and women (P=0.04). There was a moderate statistical correlation between the scores of thePersian version of WMFT and the physical component summary (r=0.60, P<0.001 and r²=0.74),and the mental component summary of SF-36 Health Survey (r=0.60, P<0.001 and r²=0.82).Conclusion: The Persian version of WMFT has acceptable construct validity with functionalvariables and the overall score of the SF-36 questionnaire.

Keywords:

Stroke , Validity , Quality of life , Function