Psychosocial evaluation of athletes with knee injuries: developmental study of evaluation instrument

Abstract

Background: Negative psychological aspects are associated with injury in athletes, with knee injuries having the highest prevalence among this population. Objective: To propose a form of psychosocial evaluation and to evaluate measured properties of the proposed instrument as well as others already used. Methods: The Fatores Psicossocias nas Lesões Esportivas (FPLE) instrument was developed. To evaluate measures properties were used this instrument, the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport), and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) for athletes with knee injury. Results: The instruments obtained adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha of .43 to .88). The FPLE and IKDC instruments showed substantial reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] of .84 and .87) with a good standard error of measurement (SEM) of 5.8% and 8.6% and RESTQ-Sport showed poor-to-moderate reliability in the majority of domains (.01 to .84) with doubtful-to-negative SEM (10.3% to 27%). In the construct validity, the RESTQ-Sport domains had higher correlations (r >.40 to .80, P < .01). In internal responsiveness, both RESTQ-Sport and IKDC presented high change, whereas FPLE presented a small change and none of the instruments showed correlation in external responsiveness. Conclusion: The instruments were considered valid for use in athletes with knee injuries.