Validation of the relation between the type and amount of seating support provided and Level of Sitting Scale (LSS) scores for children with neuromotor disorders.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the construct validity of the Level of Sitting Scale (LSS) by examining the relationship between LSS scores and the type and amount of seating supports.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of the data for 114 children ≤18 years, with neuromotor disorders who participated in a responsiveness study of the Seated Postural Control Measure.

RESULTS

A significant inverse relationship (Spearman rho = -0.42, p < 0.05) was found between LSS scores and amount of seating support provided. Statistically significant differences were also revealed between LSS levels of sitting ability (p < 0.004) and pelvic, thigh, trunk and head seating components and type of seating system, using Kruskal-Wallis test.

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence of construct validity for the LSS in use as a discriminative measure of sitting ability in children with neuromotor disorders. Further validation is justified. Clinically intuitive associations between sitting ability and seating interventions were confirmed.