Reliability and validity of the Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire as an outcome measure in children with walking disabilities

A 10-level, parent-report walking scale encompassing a range of walking abilities from nonambulatory to ambulatory in all community settings and terrains was developed at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare (GCSH) as part of the Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ). The reliability and validity of the walking-scale portion of the FAQ were tested on a group of individuals seen in the Motion Analysis Laboratory at GCSH between May 1996 and January 1997. A complete data set on 41 individuals with neuromuscular conditions represented the community ambulation levels (6-10) of the walking scale. Good test-retest reliability among parents and good interrater reliability between parents and community caregivers was demonstrated. Content and concurrent validity were also high, as assessed by correlation to standardized functional outcome measures, energy expenditure, and gait-analysis information. A reliable and valid scale specific to the task of walking such as the FAQ can assist clinicians in documenting functional change in children with chronic neuromuscular conditions.