Article

OBJECTIVES: To assess the responsiveness of Goal Attainment Scaling compared with
the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) and the 66-item Gross
Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) in multidisciplinary rehabilitation practice.
Observational study. Pretest-posttest design. PATIENTS:
Twenty-three children with cerebral palsy, aged 2-13 years. METHODS: Goal
Attainment Scaling, PEDI and GMFM-66 assessments were performed before and after
six months of treatment. Physical, occupational and speech therapists constructed
and scored 6-point Goal Attainment Scaling scales meeting predetermined criteria,
describing the main functional goal per discipline. The contents of the three
measures were compared using International Classification of Functioning,
Disability and Health child and youth version (ICF-CY) codes. Spearman's rho
correlations between Goal Attainment Scaling change scores per discipline and
change scores obtained with the PEDI functional skills scales and GMFM-66 were
calculated. Complete goal attainment was compared with significant change in
terms of the standardized measures. RESULTS: Twenty per cent of the Goal
Attainment Scaling items were not covered by items of the PEDI or the GMFM-66.
Inconclusive correlations were found between Goal Attainment Scaling and PEDI
change scores (r 0.28-0.64). Even after exclusion of the non-corresponding items,
correlations were moderate (r 0.57-0.73). Of 39/64 Goal Attainment Scaling scales
scored as complete goal attainment, 16 individual PEDI scores did not show change
on the corresponding scale. Low correlation was found between Goal Attainment
Scaling change scores and GMFM-66 change scores. CONCLUSION: Goal Attainment
Scaling, PEDI and GMFM-66 were complementary in their ability to measure
individual change over time in children with cerebral palsy. Using only the
standardized instruments could have caused many individual rehabilitation goals
actually attained being missed in the outcome evaluation.

Langue : ANGLAIS