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Research Article  |   July 2006
Psychometric Testing of the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment
Heather C. Lambert; Erika G. Gisel; Michael E. Groher; Michal Abrahamowicz; Sharon Wood-Dauphinee
Author Affiliations
  • Heather C. Lambert, PhD, is Post Doctoral Fellow, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, Queen’s University, Abramsky Hall, 3rd Floor, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada. At the time of this study, she was completing her doctoral studies at McGill University, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • Erika G. Gisel, PhD, is Professor, McGill University, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • Michael E. Groher, PhD, is Professor, University of Redlands, Department of Communicative Disorders, Redlands, California
  • Michal Abrahamowicz, PhD, is a James McGill Professor, McGill University, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • Sharon Wood-Dauphinee, PhD, is Professor, McGill University, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Article Information
Assessment Development and Testing / Adult Physical Rehabilitation
Research Article   |   July 2006
Psychometric Testing of the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, July/August 2006, Vol. 60, 409-419. doi:10.5014/ajot.60.4.409
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, July/August 2006, Vol. 60, 409-419. doi:10.5014/ajot.60.4.409
Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment. Interrater and intrarater reliability and score stability were tested using repeated administration of this test. The Functional Independence Measure and Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, as well as patient characteristics, were used to determine the validity of the assessment. One hundred and two persons with ingestive skill loss of neurologic origin were evaluated. Intraclass correlations for interrater, intrarater reliability and stability reached or surpassed 0.80 for most subscales. In validity testing, significant relationships were found between McGill Ingestive scores and Functional Independence Measure and Mini-Mental scores, as well as with patient characteristics. It is concluded that the McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment approaches or meets levels of reliability necessary for assessing patients and is valid for adults with neurogenic feeding difficulties residing in tertiary care facilities.