The short version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale: Its validity, reliability, and relationship to balance impairment and falls in older adults

Abstract

A shortened version of the ABC 16-item scale (ABC-16), the ABC-6, has been proposed as an alternative balance confidence measure. We investigated whether the ABC-6 is a valid and reliable measure of balance confidence and examined its relationship to balance impairment and falls in older adults. Thirty-five community-dwelling older adults completed the ABC-16, including the six questions of the ABC-6. They also completed the following clinical balance tests: unipedal stance time (UST), functional reach (FR), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and maximum step length (MSL). Participants reported twelve-month falls history. Balance confidence on the ABC-6 was significantly lower than on the ABC-16, however scores were highly correlated. Fallers reported lower balance confidence than non-fallers as measured by the ABC-6 scale, but confidence did not differ between the groups with the ABC-16. The ABC-6 significantly correlated with all balance tests assessed and number of falls. The ABC-16 significantly correlated with all balance tests assessed, but not with number of falls. Test-retest reliability for the ABC-16 and ABC-6 was good to excellent. The ABC-6 is a valid and reliable measure of balance confidence in community-dwelling older adults, and shows stronger relationships to falls than does the ABC-16. The ABC-6 may be a more useful balance confidence assessment tool than the ABC-16.

Participating in a virtual reality balance exercise program can reduce risk and fear of falls

“…ABC-6 has a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 87% to differentiate falls and non-falls. It also has a strong correlation (r = between 0.34 and 0.73) with common fall assessment tests [23]. ABC-6 score ranges from 0% to 100% with higher scores indicating greater balance confidence.…”

Balance Confidence Was Associated With Mobility and Balance Performance in Older People With Fall-Related Hip Fracture: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In relatively healthy populations of older people, a reduced ABC score, indicating lack of 18 confidence to perform mobility tasks without loss of balance, has been associated with 19 reduced performance as measured in walking speed 18,20 , TUG 18,19 , and BBS. 18 The 20 mean ABC score in our study, when converted to a scale from 0-100% (being 55), was 21 similar as the means in two studies of patients about 4 months after hip fracture (being 22 59 and 61, respectively).…”

Construct validity of the Modified Gait Efficacy Scale in older females

“…Participants rated their balance confidence in performing 16 daily tasks (0% = no confidence; 100% = complete confidence that they would not lose balance or become unsteady during performance of the task). In older adults, ABC-16 scores correlate with performance on balance tests such as single-leg balance, maximum step length, functional reach, and TUG (r = 0.33-0.69), and has good test-retest reliability across 30 days (ICC = 0.76) (Schepens, Goldberg, and Wallace, 2010).…”