Validity of Scores from the 12-Item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale Among Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults with Multiple Sclerosis.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the construct validity of inferences from MSWS-12 scores as a PROM of walking dysfunction among young, middle-aged, and older adults with MS.

Design: Cross-sectional, comparative research design.

Setting: University research laboratory.

Participants: The sample included 187 participants with MS who were categorized into young (20-39 years, n=50), middle-aged (40-59 years, n=83), and older (60-79 years, n=54) adult age-groups.

Intervention: N/A MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The participants completed the MSWS-12; the Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), Six-Minute Walk (6MW), and Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG); and Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS). The data analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Version 29.0.2.0 for the iOS platform.

Results: There were similar patterns of linear worsening of scores for the MSWS-12 (F_1,187=12.7, p<.001, η²=.07), T25FW (F_1,187=11.5, p<.001, η²=.06), 6MW (F_1,187=13.1, p<.001, η²=.08), and TUG (F_1,184=10.8, p<.001, η²=.06) across the three age-groups. MSWS-12 scores had strong partial correlations with T25FW, 6MW, and TUG in the overall sample (partial r's of .59, .66, .55, respectively) and across the three age-groups, when controlling for BICAMS outcomes.

Conclusions: We provide new evidence for the construct validity of MSWS-12 scores as a PROM of walking dysfunction across the adult lifespan in MS. Our results, in particular, support the application of the MSWS-12 in clinical research and practice involving older adults with MS who experience the combined effects of advanced age and MS disease progression.