Validation of Three Shortened Versions of the Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory

Purpose: To estimate the reliability and validity of three shortened versions of the Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory (CAHAI). Method: The study sample consisted of 39 individuals who had had a stroke. Twenty-four individuals were classified as acute and 15 as chronic. The CAHAI-13 was administered three times: an initial assessment, a second assessment within 36 hours, and a final assessment two to six weeks after the initial assessment. The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and the Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment were administered at the first and third time points. Based on the clinical judgment of four therapists, seven-, eight-, and nine-item versions of the CAHAI were produced. Test–retest reliability and cross-sectional and longitudinal validity (sensitivity to change) were evaluated. Results: Test–retest reliability varied from 0.96 for the CAHAI-7 to 0.97 for the CAHAI-8 and CAHAI-9. Cross-sectional validity for the ARAT was 0.95, 0.95, and 0.94, and longitudinal validity was 0.97, 0.93, and 0.94 for the seven-, eight-, and nine-item versions of the CAHAI, respectively. Conclusions: All shortened versions maintained the same high degree of reliability and construct and longitudinal validity as the original CAHAI-13. Therapists and researchers may select from three valid, shorter versions of a new upper limb functional measure to facilitate effective standardized assessment within limited time and resources.