The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale in Youth with Visual Impairments: Psychometrics and a Population-specific Short Form

Falls are a significant medical and economical concern worldwide. Younger individuals with visual impairment (VI) may be more susceptible to falling and fall-related injuries when compared to peers without a VI. Self-perceived balance confidence is a psychological construct that may predict and/or mediate fall- or other health-related outcomes in youth with VI. However, extensive psychometric vetting of falls-related self-efficacy self-report inventories (such as the Activity-specific Balance Confidence Scale [ABC]) have not occurred in youth with VI. In line with classical test theory, the purposes of this study were to examine the immediate measurement properties of ABC scores in youth with VI and to derive and analyze a short version of the ABC in youth with VI (N=101). Total and item-level ABC (and the newly developed ABC-6VI) scores presented with strong-to-acceptable forms/levels of reliability and validity. ABC-6VI scores appear to have certain psychometric limitations (i.e., increased variability; decreased stability).