• Mark R Lafave and Dale J Butterwick.
• Department of Physical Education and Recreation Studies, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, Canada.
• J Athl Train. 2014 May 1;49(3):368-72.

ContextAthletic taping skills are highly valued clinical competencies in the athletic therapy and training profession. The Technical Skill Assessment Instrument (TSAI) has been content validated and tested for intrarater reliability.ObjectiveTo test the reliability of the TSAI using a more robust measure of reliability, generalizability theory, and to hypothetically and mathematically project the optimal number of raters and scenarios to reliably measure athletic taping skills in the future.SettingMount Royal University.DesignObservational study.Patients Or Other ParticipantsA total of 29 university students (8 men, 21 women; age = 20.79 ± 1.59 years) from the Athletic Therapy Program at Mount Royal University.Intervention(S)Participants were allowed 10 minutes per scenario to complete prophylactic taping for a standardized patient presenting with (1) a 4-week-old second-degree ankle sprain and (2) a thumb that had been hyperextended. Two raters judged student performance using the TSAI.Main Outcome Measure(S)Generalizability coefficients were calculated using variance scores for raters, participants, and scenarios. A decision study was calculated to project the optimal number of raters and scenarios to achieve acceptable levels of reliability. Generalizability coefficients were interpreted the same as other reliability coefficients, with 0 indicating no reliability and 1.0 indicating perfect reliability.ResultsThe result of our study design (2 raters, 1 standardized patient, 2 scenarios) was a generalizability coefficient of 0.67. Decision study projects indicated that 4 scenarios were necessary to reliably measure athletic taping skills.ConclusionsWe found moderate reliability coefficients. Researchers should include more scenarios to reliably measure athletic taping skills. They should also focus on the development of evidence-based practice guidelines and standards of athletic taping and should test those standards using a psychometrically sound instrument, such as the TSAI.

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