Content Validity for VR based assessment: Rehabilitation method for children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool in paediatric rehabilitation, offering immersive, interactive environments that engage children and support therapeutic outcomes. For children with cerebral palsy (CP), a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting motor skills and coordination, VR-based interventions can provide engaging exercises tailored to individual needs. However, the clinical adoption and effectiveness of these tools rely heavily on their content validity—the extent to which the elements of the intervention are relevant and representative of the intended therapeutic goals.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the content validity of VR-based rehabilitation interventions designed for children with CP. A systematic approach was employed, utilizing a panel of multidisciplinary experts, including paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, paediatric rehabilitation therapists and biomechanist. The interventions were assessed based on their alignment with motor, cognitive, and engagement objectives critical to the rehabilitation of children with CP. The content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) were calculated to quantify expert consensus on the essentiality, relevance, and representativeness of the intervention components.

Results: Preliminary findings indicate a strong agreement among experts on the relevance of gamified tasks for motor skill enhancement, engagement, and user adaptability. However, challenges such as balancing task complexity and maintaining therapeutic focus emerged as critical areas for refinement.

Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of incorporating domain-specific expertise during the design and validation phases to ensure the interventions meet therapeutic objectives effectively. By establishing robust content validity, this research contributes to the optimization and credibility of VR-based rehabilitation programs for children with CP. The findings underscore the significance of structured validation methodologies in the development of innovative healthcare solutions, fostering their integration into clinical practice and enhancing therapeutic outcomes for paediatric populations.