Evaluation of psychometric properties of the segmental assessment of trunk control (SATCo) in children with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy

Background: Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo) is a scientific evaluation measure used to assess trunk control in subjects with cerebral palsy (CP). Aims: The present study aimed at assessing the psychometric properties of SATCo in children with spastic quadriplegic CP. Methodology: This was an observational study in which we validated a test instrument in 31 children (aged 1-5 years) with spastic quadriplegic CP. Children were assessed for trunk control by principal rater (R1) using SATCo. Each assessment was video recorded, scored retrospectively, and independently by principal rater (R2) and secondary rater (R3) for intra-rater and inter-rater reliability, respectively. Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing the SATCo scores with sitting component scores of Gross Motor Functional Measure -88. Results: Intra-class correlation coefficient values for intra-rater and inter-rater reliability for various components of the scale ranged from 0.82 to 0.98. The concurrent validity was calculated for various components of the scale using the Pearson correlation coefficient and they ranged from 0.72 to 0.77. Conclusion/Recommendation: SATCo is a reliable and valid scale that can be used for examining trunk control in children with spastic quadriplegic CP aged 1-5 years.