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Measurement properties of the Body Awareness Scale Movement Quality (BAS MQ) in persons on the autism spectrum : A preliminary Rasch analysis

Bertilsson, I. LU ; Melin, J. ; Brogårdh, C. LU ; Opheim, A. ; Gyllensten, A. L. LU ; Björksell, E. and Sjödahl Hammarlund, C. LU (2024) In Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 38. p.464-473
Abstract

Background: Persons on the autism spectrum exhibit poorer body awareness than neurotypical persons. Since movement quality may be regarded as an expression of body awareness, assessment of movement quality is important. Sound assessments of measurement properties are essential if reliable decisions about body awareness interventions for persons on the autism spectrum are to be made, but there is insufficient research. Objective: To assess measurement properties of the Body Awareness Scale Movement Quality (BAS MQ) in an autism and a neurotypical reference group. Methods: Persons on the autism spectrum (n=108) and neurotypical references (n=32) were included. All were assessed with BAS MQ. Data were analyzed according to the Rasch model.... (More)

Background: Persons on the autism spectrum exhibit poorer body awareness than neurotypical persons. Since movement quality may be regarded as an expression of body awareness, assessment of movement quality is important. Sound assessments of measurement properties are essential if reliable decisions about body awareness interventions for persons on the autism spectrum are to be made, but there is insufficient research. Objective: To assess measurement properties of the Body Awareness Scale Movement Quality (BAS MQ) in an autism and a neurotypical reference group. Methods: Persons on the autism spectrum (n=108) and neurotypical references (n=32) were included. All were assessed with BAS MQ. Data were analyzed according to the Rasch model. Results: BAS MQ was found to have acceptable unidimensionality, supported by the fit statistics. The hierarchical ordering showed that coordination ability was the most difficult, followed by stability and relating. Response category functioning worked as intended for 19 out of 23 items. There were few difficult items, which decreased targeting. Reliability measures were good. BAS MQ discriminated between the autism and the reference groups, with the autism group exhibiting poorer movement quality, reflecting clinical observations and previous research. Conclusions: BAS MQ was found to have acceptable measurement properties, though suffering from problems with targeting item difficulty to person ability for persons on the autism spectrum. The BAS MQ may, along with experienced movement quality, contribute to clinically relevant information of persons on the autism spectrum, although we encourage refinements and further analyses to improve its measurement properties.

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organization
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
volume
38
pages
10 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85188440279
ISSN
1360-8592
DOI
10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.01.004
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7aa3d868-65a5-4211-a279-e9dedd16406c
date added to LUP
2024-04-16 15:34:42
date last changed
2024-04-16 15:35:40
@article{7aa3d868-65a5-4211-a279-e9dedd16406c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Persons on the autism spectrum exhibit poorer body awareness than neurotypical persons. Since movement quality may be regarded as an expression of body awareness, assessment of movement quality is important. Sound assessments of measurement properties are essential if reliable decisions about body awareness interventions for persons on the autism spectrum are to be made, but there is insufficient research. Objective: To assess measurement properties of the Body Awareness Scale Movement Quality (BAS MQ) in an autism and a neurotypical reference group. Methods: Persons on the autism spectrum (n=108) and neurotypical references (n=32) were included. All were assessed with BAS MQ. Data were analyzed according to the Rasch model. Results: BAS MQ was found to have acceptable unidimensionality, supported by the fit statistics. The hierarchical ordering showed that coordination ability was the most difficult, followed by stability and relating. Response category functioning worked as intended for 19 out of 23 items. There were few difficult items, which decreased targeting. Reliability measures were good. BAS MQ discriminated between the autism and the reference groups, with the autism group exhibiting poorer movement quality, reflecting clinical observations and previous research. Conclusions: BAS MQ was found to have acceptable measurement properties, though suffering from problems with targeting item difficulty to person ability for persons on the autism spectrum. The BAS MQ may, along with experienced movement quality, contribute to clinically relevant information of persons on the autism spectrum, although we encourage refinements and further analyses to improve its measurement properties.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bertilsson, I. and Melin, J. and Brogårdh, C. and Opheim, A. and Gyllensten, A. L. and Björksell, E. and Sjödahl Hammarlund, C.}},
  issn         = {{1360-8592}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{464--473}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies}},
  title        = {{Measurement properties of the Body Awareness Scale Movement Quality (BAS MQ) in persons on the autism spectrum : A preliminary Rasch analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.01.004}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.01.004}},
  volume       = {{38}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}