OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of group wheelchair skills training to elicit improvements in wheelchair skills. DESIGN: Randomized double-blinded control trial. SETTING: Four SCI Model Systems Centers. PARTICIPANTS: 114 manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). INTERVENTION: Six 90 minute group Wheelchair Skills Training Program (WSTP) classes or two one-hour active control (AC) sessions with 6 to 10 people per group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline (T1) and 1-month follow-up (T2) Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire Version 4.2 for capacity, WST-QC, and performance, WST-QP, and Goal Attainment Score (GAS). RESULTS: Follow-up was completed by 79 participants (36 WSTP, 43 ACG). No differences were found between missing and complete cases. Many users were highly skilled at baseline with a WST-QC interquartile range of 77 to 97%. There were no differences between groups at baseline in WST-Q measures or demographics. Compared to the AC group, the WSTP group improved in WST-QC advanced score (p = 0.02) but not in WST-QC or WST-QP total scores (p = 0.068 and p = 0.873, respectively). The average GAS (0% at T1) for the WSTP group at T2 was 65.6 +/- 34.8%. Higher GAS and WST-QC scores were found for those who attended more classes and had lower baseline skills. CONCLUSIONS: Group training can improve advanced wheelchair skills capacity and facilitate achievement of individually set goals. Lower skill levels at baseline and increased attendance were correlated with greater improvement.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher