F Tanriöğer Soyuer, U Şırayder

Abstract

Purpose: The study is aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Four Square Step Test (FSST) for evaluating adolescent cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: This study included a total of 66 subjects (21 with hemiparetic CP, 19 with diplegic CP, and 26 healthy participants), all aged between 12 to 18 years and similar gender distribution.We assessed dynamic balance with the FSST and the Time Up and Go (TUG) test. Findings: For internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha coefficients calculated as 0.913 as the total score. Test-retest measurement demonstrated excellent reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient - 95% confidence interval, 0.805 to 0.999). There was a significant positive correlation between FSST and TUG among both of the groups with CP (r=0.95, p<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis for differentiating healthy from those with hemiparetic CP the FSST showed 66.4% sensitivity and 84.62% specifity; for diparetic CP, the FSST showed 63.16% sensitivity and 100% specifity, and the TUG test showed 73.68% sensitivity and 100% specifity. Conclusion: The study shows that the FSST is a valid and reliable test to evaluate dynamic standing balance in adolescents with CP.