Reliability of revised scoring methods for the Schenkenberg Line Bisection Test with adults following stroke: Preliminary findings

Abstract

Introduction

The Schenkenberg Line Bisection Test is a brief screening tool following stroke to assess for unilateral spatial neglect. This assessment takes under five minutes to administer, but scoring using the guidelines of the original authors is lengthy and complex. This study examined the interrater, intrarater, and test–retest reliability of the test using both a brief and detailed method of scoring developed for this study that are more readily used in the clinical setting.

Method

Fifteen participants following stroke were assessed using the Schenkenberg Line Bisection Test. Assessments were scored by four occupational therapists on two separate occasions using both the brief and detailed scoring method developed for this study.

Results

Intraclass correlation coefficients obtained for interrater reliability for the brief scoring method ranged from .89 to 1, and from .82 to .95 for the detailed method. Intraclass correlation coefficients for intrarater reliability ranged from .82 to 1 for the brief method and from .72 to .99 for the detailed method. Strong agreement was observed between first and second assessments in most situations for test–retest reliability.

Conclusion

Preliminary exploration of the revised scoring methods for the Schenkenberg Line Bisection Test demonstrate high reliability and that scoring can be completed relatively quickly in clinical practice.