Abstract
Ottenbacher KJ, Msall ME, Lyon N, Duffy LC, Ziviani J, Granger CV, Braun S, Feidler
RC. The WeeFIM instrument: its utility in detecting change in children with developmental
disabilities. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2000;81:1317-26. Objective: To examine the utility of the WeeFIM® instrument (“WeeFIM®”) in detecting changes
in the functional status of children with disability. Design: Prospective longitudinal design with correlation and responsiveness analysis. Setting: Three facilities providing services to children with developmental disabilities in
western New York State. Participants: Two hundred five children (72 girls, 133 boys) with identified medical disabilities
receiving special services were administered the WeeFIM. Subjects ranged in age from
11 to 87 months and came from diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Scores
for 174 children were available for 3 administrations performed over a 1-year period.
Main Outcome Measures: The responsiveness of the WeeFIM instrument was examined using 5 statistical procedures:
Reliability Change Index, Proportional Change Index, effect size, standardized response
means, and paired t tests. Results: All 5 indexes of responsiveness indicated statistically significant (p <.05) or reliable changes over time. The transfer subscale of the WeeFIM showed a
skewed distribution that affected the results for some responsiveness indexes. The
advantage, limitations, and assumptions of the responsiveness indexes are described
and graphic examples of change over time are presented to validate the responsiveness
of the WeeFIM instrument. Conclusion: The WeeFIM instrument showed the ability to document change in functional abilities
over a 1-year period in children with chronic disabilities. © 2000 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy
of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 8,
2000
Received in revised form:
February 8,
2000
Footnotes
☆Supported by the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (grant no. MCJ-360646).
☆☆The authors have chosen not to select a disclosure statement.
★Reprint requests to Kenneth J. Ottenbacher, PhD, University of Texas Medical Branch, SAHS 4.202, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-1028, e-mail: [email protected]
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
