"The L test under single and dual-task conditions in women with fibromyalgia: A psychometric study".

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability of the L test under single and dual-task conditions in women with fibromyalgia. To analyze the concurrent validity of the L test and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and the relationship between the L test and the impact of the disease.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study with 22 women with fibromyalgia. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) 3,1 evaluated the reliability. The concurrent validity was established between the L test and the TUG. The Pearson product-moment correlation assessed the correlation between the L test and the impact of the disease.

RESULTS

Results revealed an ICC of 0.95 (0.876-0.979) in the single condition with the stopwatch and 0.95 (0.872-0.978) with the Chronopic. In the dual-task condition 0.93 (0.832-0.971) with the stopwatch and 0.94 (0.854-0.975) with the Chronopic. The L test and the TUG showed significant relationships with a stopwatch in the single (test-r = 0.839; retest-r = 0.897) and the dual-task conditions (test-r = 0.793; retest-r = 0.882). These findings were also found with the Chronopic in the single (test-r = 0.876; retest-r = 0.901) and the dual-task conditions (test-r = 0.872; retest-r = 0.897). Significant relationships were found between the L test and the impact of the disease with a stopwatch in the single (test-r = 0.502; retest-r = 0.647) and the dual-task conditions (test-r = 0.428; retest-r = 0.571). And with the Chronopic in the single (test-r = 0.528; retest-r = 0.663) and the dual-task conditions (test-r = 0.482; retest-r = 0.608).

CONCLUSIONS

L test is a reliable tool under single and dual-task conditions in women with fibromyalgia. This test is a valid method when compared with the TUG, and it is related to the impact of the disease.