Validation of the Chinese Version of the Modified Gait Efficacy Scale for Patients Removing Ilizarov External Fixation Device for Over One Year

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Chinese version of the modified Gait Efficacy Scale (C-mGES) in people who have had an Ilizarov external fixation apparatus removed more than 1 year ago. METHODS: (1) Translating and cultural adapting the English version mGES into Chinese. (2) Validation of the C-mGES with the Perceived Efficacy Patient-Physician Interactions Scale (PEPPI-10), Self-Efficacy for Rehabilitation Outcome Scale (SER), Lower Extremities Function Assessment Scale (LEFS), and Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ). Instrument measurements included item generation, construct validity, reliability testing, test-retest reliability and correlation with other scales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to determine internal consistency and construct validity. One hundred five persons who had Ilizarov external fixation devices removed more than 1 year ago were investigated. RESULTS: One hundred and two patients were included in this research. Our study showed that the C-mGES has high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α-coefficient 0.928). CFA confirmed good fit indices for a unidimensional model of the C-mGES. In test-retest reliability, 97 patients were analyzed. The results showed that the substantial kappa coefficient is 0.680, and the ICC is 0.98 (95% CI). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the Chinese version mGES has a good internal consistency, construct validity and satisfactory criterion-related validity. This scale can assist in the assessment of walking self-efficacy in patients who have had Ilizarov external fixation devices removed for over 1 year.