Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Instrument: Criterion and Construct Validity.

Authors' summary / background

The Musculoskeletal function assessment (MFA) instrument is a 100-item, self-reported, health status measure designed for use in a clinical setting on a broad range of patients with musculoskeletal disorders of the extremities. This study sought to test both its criterion and construct validity, an important aspect of creating a health status instrument. The criterion validity was tested against physicians’ ratings of patient function and against various clinical measures. Construct validity was evaluated using medical records, demographic data, other standard health instruments, and by comparing patients based on their various health issues. Both types of validity were affirmed by significant correlations between the MFA scores and the criteria evaluated.