The reliability and validity study of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

original article The reliability and validity study of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis Yousef Moghadas Tabrizi1,2, Nasser Zangiabadi1, Shahrzad Mazhari1, Farzaneh Zolala3 ABSTRACT | Objective: Motor imagery (MI) has been recently considered as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is necessary to assess MI abilities and benefits in patients with MS by using a reliable tool. The Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ) was recently developed to assess MI ability in patients with stroke and other disabilities. Considering the different underlying pathologies, the present study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the KVIQ in MS patients. Method: Fifteen MS patients were assessed using the KVIQ in 2 sessions (5-14days apart) by the same examiner. In the second session, the participants also completed a revised MI questionnaire (MIQ-R) as the gold standard. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were measured to determine test-retest reliability. Spearman’s correlation analysis was performed to assess concurrent validity with the MIQ-R. Furthermore, the internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and factorial structure of the KVIQ were studied. Results: The test-retest reliability for the KVIQ was good (ICCs: total KVIQ=0.89, visual KVIQ=0.85, and kinesthetic KVIQ=0.93), and the concurrent validity between the KVIQ and MIQ-R was good (r=0.79). The KVIQ had good internal consistency, with high Cronbach’s alpha (alpha=0.84). Factorial analysis showed the bi-factorial structure of the KVIQ, which was explained by visual=57.6% and kinesthetic=32.4%. Conclusions: The results of the present study revealed that the KVIQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing MI in MS patients. Keywords: multiple sclerosis; motor imagery; KVIQ. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE Moghadas Tabrizi Y, Zangiabadi N, Mazhari S, Zolala F. The reliability and validity study of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. Braz J Phys Ther. 2013 Nov-Dec; 17(6):588-592. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/ S1413-35552012005000124 Introduction Mental imagery is defined as the mental invention or recreation of an experience that resembles the actual perception of an object or an event1. Motor imagery (MI) is a specific type of mental imagery that involves the mental rehearsal of a motor act without overt movement output2. MI may be performed using different modalities (kinesthetic and visual) from either a first- or third-person perspective. In the present study, we focused on the first-person perspective, that is, self-visualizing oneself in an action (visual) or implying some esthetic sensation elicited by an action3. MI is a powerful tool and has been used in non-disabled individuals to facilitate motor skill learning4. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of MI as a potential adjunct to physical rehabilitation in some neurological diseases (post-stroke5, Parkinson’s disease6, and more recently multiple sclerosis7). Mental practice is the systematic and repetitive use of imagery. A major difficulty when using mental practice through MI is to determine the extent to which a person can generate mental representations of movements. Some patients may not be able to engage in MI, hence they may not benefit from mental practice8. Therefore, it is important to assess MI abilities in various diseases. Impaired MI abilities have been determined using behavioral tasks in patients with neurological diseases that affect the parietal cortex and prefrontal area9. These findings reveal the limitation of MI as a therapeutic tool. In fact, if patients are unable to engage in MI correctly, this method is unlikely to be effective. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that causes functional neuronal disconnections, leading to motor as well as cognitive dysfunctions10. There are some theoretical Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran Faculty of Physical Education, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran Faculty of Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran Received: 01/18/2013 Revised: 06/24/2013 Accepted: 07/05/2013 1 2 3 588 Braz J Phys Ther. 2013 Nov-Dec; 17(6):588-592 http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-35552012005000124 KVIQ in individuals with MS reasons to suppose that MI may be affected in MS patients. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the motor system of MS patients have shown abnormal responses in several cortical areas, including the sensorimotor cortex, parietal lobe, and supplementary motor area (common areas involved in MI)11. Studies have recently revealed impairment of MI ability in MS patients7. Although the vividness of imagery is preserved in these patients, the accuracy and temporal organization of MI are affected. These results suggest that some patients with MS may not be able to engage in motor imagery, hence they may not benefit from mental practice. Therefore, it is important to assess MI ability before considering the effectiveness of MI in practice. Evaluation of MI in patients with MS requires a reliable and valid assessment tool. To assess MI ability, researchers have developed different questionnaires such as the Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ)12, the revised version of the MIQ (MIQ-R), and the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ)13. The MIQ, developed to evaluate the MI ability of non-disabled adults and athletes, is an 18-item self-reporting questionnaire that assesses visual and kinesthetic MI ability. Later, its authors developed a shorter version, called the MIQ-R, comprising 8 items to reduce the time taken to administer the questionnaire. The results of the test-retest reliability study of the MIQ-R showed correlation coefficients of r=0.86 for the visual subscale and r=0.90 for the kinesthetic subscales14. Patients with neuropathology and disability displayed difficulties while using the MIQ-R because of the complexity of some movements. Malouin et al.13 developed the KVIQ for use with both non-disabled and disabled individuals. The KVIQ assesses both visual and kinesthetic components of MI and it is not a self-administered test. All movements are assessed with the participants in a sitting position while the clarity of their imagination is rated (there is no right or wrong answer). The questionnaire has 20 items (10 items in each subscale: visual and kinesthetic) and uses a 5-point Likert scale (5=clear and intense image; 1=no image, no sensation) to assess the vividness of each dimension of MI (clarity of image/intensity of sensation). The results of the test-retest reliability study of the KVIQ showed intra-class correlation of 0.72-0.81 for non-disabled individuals and 0.81-0.90 for patients with stroke13. The KVIQ is suitable for people who, for whatever reason, need guidance in r (...truncated)