Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To develop and demonstrate the item-level psychometrics of the Functional Cognition-Patient Reported Outcome (FC-PRO) short forms and keyform ability maps that promote measurement efficiency and provide collaborative goal setting opportunities between therapists and patients. DESIGN: Using the Rasch model, FC-PRO data from a previous cross-sectional study of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were analyzed to develop short forms of 13 to 15 items and keyform ability maps for the following FC-PRO domains: Attention, Memory, Processing Speed, and Emotional Management. SETTING: Outpatient clinics and community locations. PARTICIPANTS: Persons 18 to 85 years of age who self-reported a moderate to severe TBI and who completed the FC-PRO (n=90). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FC-PRO long forms and short forms for Attention, Memory, Processing Speed, and Emotional Management domains. RESULTS: For the short forms, person separation reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.82. Person measures for the short forms and long form correlated strongly (0.91-0.97). For each domain, a keyform ability map indicated functional cognitive challenges that matched the patient, that is, that would be at a level neither too hard nor too easy for patients. CONCLUSIONS: The FC-PRO short forms can provide efficient measures of the effect of cognition challenges in everyday life. Keyform ability maps of the cognitive domains can serve as a tool for goal setting and treatment planning by patients and rehabilitation therapists. By superimposing short-form response patterns onto response patterns of the long forms, patients can be empowered to identify preferences and priorities for rehabilitation goals.