Evidence of Construct Validity for the Modified Mental Fatigue Scale When Used in Persons with Cerebral Palsy

Fatigue experienced by people with cerebral palsy: a systematic review of assessment tools and decision tree

PURPOSE

To conduct a systematic review of self- and proxy-report fatigue assessment tools used in studies of people with cerebral palsy (CP) of all ages, and to develop a fatigue assessment tool decision tree for clinicians and researchers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane) were searched to September 2021 to identify studies assessing self-reported fatigue in people with CP of any age. The assessment tools utilised were extracted and two reviewers appraised the tool characteristics, clinical utility and psychometric properties. A decision tree for selecting fatigue assessment tools was constructed.

RESULTS

Ten assessment tools were identified across thirty-nine studies, three of which are valid and reliable for assessing fatigue severity and impact in people with CP. A four-level fatigue assessment tool decision tree was constructed. No valid and reliable tool for assessing cognitive fatigue was identified; responsiveness has not been evaluated in any tool for people with CP.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical fatigue screening and assessment tools for people with CP are available and are presented in our decision tree, however their utility as outcome measures remains unclear. Cognitive fatigue is understudied and poorly understood, further work is required in this area.

Comparing Self-Report Fatigue Assessment Tools for Adults with Cerebral Palsy in a Danish Context

PURPOSE

Many youth and adults with Cerebral Palsy (CP) experience high levels of fatigue. This study aimed to compare three fatigue self-report questionnaires to guide clinicians.

METHOD

Thirty youth and adults (age range 17-64) with CP were assessed with Danish versions of the Fatigue Impact and Severity Self-Assessment questionnaire, the Modified Mental Fatigue Scale, and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory. Psychometric properties were investigated. Rank order and classification models were compared across questionnaires.

RESULTS

The Reduced Motivation and Physical Fatigue subscales of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory showed inadequate internal consistency. Participants were frequently ranked differently with the questionnaires. There were issues related to the conceptualization of physical fatigue.

CONCLUSION

The choice of assessment tool should be based on assessment purpose as the questionnaires assess different aspects of fatigue severity, impact, and management. Also, test selection can have important implications on the conclusions that are made about fatigue type and severity.

The Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach is superior to ordinary treatment for achievement of goals and transfer effects in children with cerebral palsy and spina bifida - a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) or spina bifida (SB) often have executive dysfunction affecting activity performance. With the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach, children find their own way to perform activities, using problem-solving strategies and meta-cognitive thinking. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the CO-OP Approach in children with CP or SB, compared with conventional rehabilitation, in achieving self-identified activity goals, and to explore any generalization and transfer effects.

METHOD

Randomized controlled trial, CO-OP versus treatment as usual, 38 children (7-16 years) participated. Each child identified four goals (to study generalization and transfer, one remained untrained). Primary outcomes: Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS). Secondary outcomes assessed executive functions and self-rated everyday-life competence.

RESULTS

Self-rated goal attainment (COPM) was significantly greater for both trained and untrained goals in the CO-OP group compared with the control group. The rating of observed performance (PQRS) was significantly higher for trained goals in the CO-OP group. The CO-OP group experienced fewer problems in everyday life after treatment. Executive functions did not differ significantly between groups.

CONCLUSION

CO-OP is more effective than ordinary treatment in achieving both trained and untrained goals.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONCO-OP enables children with CP (MACS levels I-III) or SB without intellectual disabilities to reach self-identified goals.CO-OP shows transfer effects to new activities and situations, which may enhance children's self-efficacy.CO-OP is an important complement to conventional rehabilitation services for children with CP and SB.

Screening Method for Assessment of Work Ability for Patients Suffering From Mental Fatigue

Pathological mental fatigue adversely affects endurance in the performance of tasks over time, with negative impact on work ability. There are currently no methods for objectively assessing work ability for patients suffering from mental fatigue. In this study, work ability in relation to mental fatigue as a screening method was evaluated, using the Work Ability Index (WAI) and Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS). Included participants represented three patient groups commonly affected by mental fatigue; acquired brain injury (n = 49, traumatic brain injury, stroke), burn-out syndrome (55) and hypothyroidism (50). The results showed a significant correlation between WAI and MFS (r = –0.754) and status in the workplace (WAI r = 0.722, MFS r = –0.443) for all groups. The WAI and MFS were significant predictors for status in the workplace (p < 0.001) and explained 53% of the variance. This screening method can help health care professionals to identify people who are mentally fatigued with a reduced ability to work or return to work after illness, and who are in need of in-depth investigation. It is important to initiate treatment early with the aim of promoting a sustainable working life and general well-being of the individual.

Systematic Monitoring of Cognition for Adults With Cerebral Palsy-The Rationale Behind the Development of the CPCog-Adult Follow-Up Protocol

Cerebral palsy (CP) comprises a heterogeneous group of conditions recognized by disturbances of movement and posture and is caused by a non-progressive injury to the developing brain. Birth prevalence of CP is about 2-2.5 per 1,000 live births. Although the motor impairment is the hallmark of the diagnosis, individuals with CP often have other impairments, including cognitive ones. Cognitive impairments may affect communication, education, vocational opportunities, participation, and mental health. For many years, CP has been considered a "childhood disability," but the challenges continue through the life course, and health issues may worsen and new challenges may arise with age. This is particularly true for cognitive impairments, which may become more pronounced as the demands of life increase. For individuals with CP, there is no one-to-one correlation between cognition and functioning in other areas, and therefore, cognition must be individually assessed to determine what targeted interventions might be beneficial. To facilitate this for children with CP, a systematic follow-up protocol of cognition, the CPCog, has been implemented in Norway and Sweden. However, no such protocol currently exists for adults with CP. Such discontinuity in healthcare services that results from lack of follow-up of cognitive functioning and subsequent needs for adjustments and interventions makes transition from pediatric to adult healthcare services challenging. As a result, a protocol for the surveillance of cognition in adults with CP, the CPCog-Adult, has been developed. It includes assessment of verbal skills, non-verbal reasoning, visual-spatial perception, and executive functioning. It is recommended to perform these assessments at least once in young adulthood and once in the mid-fifties. This report describes the process of developing the CPCog-Adult, which has a three-fold purpose: (1) to provide equal access to healthcare services to enable the detection of cognitive impairments; (2) to provide interventions that increase educational and vocational participation, enhance quality of life, and prevent secondary impairments; and (3) to collect systematic data for research purposes. The consent-based registration of data in the well-established Swedish and Norwegian national CP registries will secure longitudinal data from childhood into adulthood.