Volume X, Number X: Fall 2024 Edition

Committee & Task Force Updates

Applied Cognition & TBI Task Force

Co-Chairs: Sonya Kim, Sonya.Kim@nyulangone.org & Marianne Mortera, MariannehMortera@gmail.com

The Applied Cognition & TBI Task Force is currently engaged in an important research project entitled ‘A systematic review of the effect of pharmacological intervention to improve attention post-TBI.’ The project aims to investigate the impact of pharmacological interventions on attention improvement following traumatic brain injury (TBI). If this research topic sparks your interest, we encourage you to reach out to the Co-Chairs of the Task Force: Dr. Sonya Kim, PhD, CRC, BCB, FACRM; Dr. Marianne Mortera, PhD, OTR/L; and Dr. Patricia Heyn, PhD, FGSA, FACRM (Past Chair).

In 2023, the group completed data extraction for “A systematic review of the effect of pharmacological intervention to improve attention post-TBI” and presented the above systematic review in the 2023 ACRM Conference symposium. In 2024, the SR protocol was registered

with Open Science Framework (OSF) under embargo (https://osf.io/ge4b2). In the summer – fall of 2024 this group will prepare the publication of “A systematic review of the effect of pharmacological intervention to improve attention post-TBI.” We would like to recruit more members to join the task force and select a new study to follow the Attention-TBI systematic review.

For further insight into their work, you can refer to their symposium: Wen, P., Mortera, M. H., Hu, X., Mohapatra, B., Kim, S., Wong, D. C., Gopaul, U., Heyn, P. (2023, October). American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine 100th Annual Conference, Progress in Rehabilitation Research (PIRR). Pharmacological treatments for attention in patients with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review.

Biomarkers and Biometrics Task Force

Chair: Chih-Ying “Cynthia” Li, chili@utmb.edu

The mission of the Biomarkers and Biometrics Task Force is to provide comprehensive education and resources to ACRM members, cultivating an understanding and appreciation for the strategic integration of biomarkers and biometrics in rehabilitation research. Our primary objective has been to empower members to recognize and leverage the inherent value of incorporating these advanced methodologies within their research endeavors. Through our interdisciplinary collaboration, we are actively engaged in a rigorous systematic review of the literature, specifically focusing on the utilization of multi-modal biomarkers.

With an initial membership of twelve professionals spanning diverse fields and disciplines, our task force has successfully fulfilled its mission. Our members have made significant contributions to ACRM programming over the last few years, including organizing one preconference workshop featuring Dr. Amy Wagner of the University of Pittsburgh, PA, and annual symposia. This achievement underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality educational initiatives and fostering an understanding of the pivotal role biomarkers and biometrics play in enhancing rehabilitation research.

I would personally like to express gratitude to the talented and hard-working colleagues with whom I have had the privilege to work and lead over the past years. Looking ahead, we extend a warm invitation to new members to join our interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to the ongoing success of our mission.

Long-Term Community Measure Task Force

Co-Chairs: Shannon Juengst, shannon.juengst@memorialhermann.org  & Lauren Terhorst, lat15@pitt.edu 

The vision of the Long-Term Community Measurement encompasses two key aspects: (1) Managing chronic health conditions presents measurement challenges related to long-term tracking and community-based assessment, and (2) Opportunities afforded by the use of mobile technology are promising, but the use of in situ assessment is outpacing psychometric evaluation of measures being used in this context.

Our objectives are to identify critical research gaps related to long-term and community-based measurement, determine the frequency of and methods for long-term monitoring of in situ symptoms/behaviors, and recommend guidelines for evaluating the validity and reliability of measurement tools when used for long-term, repeated assessment.

The Long-Term Community Measure Task Force is currently engaged in deliberations to initiate a novel research endeavor to investigate the quantification of within-person variability, the potential application of the Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), and its significance as a crucial clinical indicator and predictor of outcomes. The Task Force enthusiastically welcomes the participation of new members, particularly those with proposals to lead projects in collaboration with existing Task Force members, benefiting from their support and involvement. We are also seeking those interested in Co-Chairing the Task Force. For those expressing interest, please do not hesitate to email Shannon or Lauren if you are interested in joining this team!

Rehabilitation Measures Database Task Force

Chair: Allen Heinemann, aheinemann@sralab.org 

The Rehabilitation Measures Database (RMD) Task Force was formed in 2016 to develop and enhance the content of the RMD, an online summary of instruments used by rehabilitation nurses, therapists and physicians, to help them select standard assessments to monitor patient progress. The RMD collaborates with various institutions to enhance measurement and assessment content through the contribution of instrument summaries to the RMD online database. This past year, the RMD Task Force added clinical practice guidelines, common data elements, and EDGE group recommendations to the RMD website and Author Toolkit. We also initiated “RMD Measure of the Week” social media campaign to increase engagement on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Our LinkedIn membership is now over 310!

In 2023, we integrated 20 new measures into the RMD, bringing the total to 553 instruments. Additionally, we conducted Grand Rounds presentations on the history and use of the RMD, along with Hot Topics at the Annual Conference. The database now updates psychometric profiles of measures such as the Oswestry Disability Index, 9-Hole Peg Test, Functional Gait Assessment, Modified Ashworth Scale, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder & Hand, Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, Timed Up and Go, Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Collaborations with new disciplines, including rehabilitation psychology and pediatrics, have been initiated.

Our commitment to dissemination continues, with regular presentations at the ACRM Annual Conference and the publication of instrument tear sheets in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. For this year, we plan to:

• Collaborate with additional graduate programs in various rehabilitation disciplines
• Continue incorporating clinical practice guidelines and other professional recommendations into instrument summaries on the RMD website
• Update clinician and student educational modules on the RMD website
• Train and maintain student volunteers and collaborators to produce instrument summaries. 

Please reach out to Allen if you are interested in joining the Task Force or contributing an instrument summary to RMD!

Stakeholder Engagement Task Force

Co-chairs: Jennifer Weaver, Jen.Weaver@colostate.edu, and Allan Kozlowski, 

allan.kozlowski@maryfreebed.com

Person-centered measurement signifies an effort to advance the science of examining patients’ preferences, needs, and values. As the Measurement ISIG Stakeholder Engagement Task Force, our interest lies in rehabilitation measurement that spans various settings (e.g., Acute Care, Post-Acute Care, Home & Community-Based Services, and Outpatient). In Summer 2024, we submitted a supplement proposal for review by the Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 

Standards Task Force

Chair: Allan Kozlowski, allan.kozlowski@maryfreebed.com

The Standards Task Force has been reconstituted after a hiatus. In 2021, this task force collaborated with the Reporting Rasch Measurement task force to develop a glossary of terms. The group also completed the first phase review of selected validity frameworks. Throughout this year, the task force will continue with the second phase of the review of validity frameworks, aiming to prepare and submit a manuscript for peer review.

During the 2023 ACRM conference, our task force presented a Symposium on the Proposed Measurement Validity Framework, conducted an instructional course on Applied Measurement for Clinicians, and drafted a Validity Framework Report to be submitted to the Executive Committee. In 2024, our plans include:

• Reviewing and revising the M-ISIG Executive Committee Report
• Reviewing and revising the M-ISIG Membership
• Manuscript preparation
• Organizing the 2024 Symposium on Proposed Measurement Validity Framework
• Conducting the 2024 Instructional Course on Applied Measurement for Clinicians, Educators, Students, and Administrators (Spring Meeting and Fall Conference)

If you are interested in joining the Standards Task Force, please contact Al Kozlowski.

Curriculum Task Force

Chair: Linda Ehrlich-Jones, ljones1@sralab.org

The Curriculum Task Force is dedicated to the mission of crafting comprehensive educational materials that facilitate the understanding and application of rehabilitation outcome measurements. Looking ahead to 2024, our plans include the development of a comprehensive Measurement Curriculum designed for presentation at both the Spring and Fall ACRM Conferences. Additionally, we are committed to conducting a thorough review of the existing Measurement Curriculum manual, ensuring its alignment with current best practices and incorporating any necessary updates.

Through these initiatives, our task force seeks to elevate the educational experience for ACRM conference attendees, fostering a deeper and more nuanced understanding of rehabilitation outcome measurements. We invite enthusiastic individuals who share our passion for education and measurement to join our committee and contribute to the ongoing success of our educational endeavors. If you are interested in joining the Task Force, please contact Linda Ehrlich-Jones.

Measurement Forum Task Force

Chair: Allan Kozlowski, allan.kozlowski@maryfreebed.com

The Measurement ISIG (M-ISIG) has recognized an opportunity to offer a valuable service to ACRM members and engage M-ISIG members by creating a platform to invite and respond to measurement-related questions. We anticipate that this service will be particularly beneficial to early career members, many of whom are graduate students and aim to harness the expertise of M-ISIG members on a voluntary basis.

The initial task for this group is to develop a proposal outlining the implementation of a Measurement Forum to run on the blog feature of the ACRM Membership platform. This proposal will include a definition of scope, rules for respectful communication, procedures for managing incoming posts, and a framework for assigning volunteer respondents.

In 2023, we drafted guidelines for the forum within the ACRM Membership System Blog but temporarily halted activities due to limited membership and competing demands. In 2024, we plan to revisit our membership considerations and, if feasible, resume our activities. The proposed plan includes:

• Conducting a feasibility test with the M-ISIG Executive Committee
• Initiating a limited trial with M-ISIG Membership
• Launching the forum ACRM-wide
• Organizing Conference Symposiums

For those interested in contributing to this initiative, please email Allan to express your interest in joining the team!

Equity and Inclusivity in Measurement Task Force

Co-chairs: Anthony H. Lequerica, alequerica@kesslerfoundation.org, and Jamilah Alqahtani, alqahtja@mail.uc.edu

Recruiting new members! 

We are launching a new Task Force in Equity and Inclusivity in Measurement. Our mission is to advance equitable and culturally responsive measurement practices, promoting inclusivity across diverse languages and cultures and bridging disparity gaps in diverse linguistic and racial/ethnic populations. With a vision to establish a collaborative platform fostering innovation in measurement and promoting fair and accurate assessments across cultural and linguistic backgrounds, we are in the initial stages of recruiting a diverse range of members interested in cross-cultural measurement, linguistic appropriateness, cultural responsiveness, and cultural equivalence of measures (measurement invariance and differential item functioning) within diverse linguistic and racial/ethnic populations.

Looking ahead, our plans include:

• Membership Growth: Recruit a diverse range of members with an interest in cross-cultural measurement, linguistic appropriateness, cultural responsiveness, cultural equivalence of measures (measurement invariance and differential item functioning), and outcomes within diverse linguistic and racial/ethnic populations. 
• Needs Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment survey among members of ACRM to identify key challenges and priorities in equitable measurement practices across cultures and languages.
• Collaborative Projects: Initiate at least one collaborative project to address measurement inequities in rehabilitation in collaboration with other ACRM interest groups and task forces.

If you are interested, please contact Anthony H. Lequerica or Jamilah Alqahtani. We look forward to hearing from you!

Measurement Innovations: Integrating Machine Learning and Digital Technologies in Rehabilitation Task Force

Co-chairs: Andrew D. Delgado, andrew.delgado@mountsinai.org, and Zijian Huang, zijian.huang@pitt.edu

Recruit new members! 

We are pleased to announce the formation of a new Task Force within our community, dedicated to advancing the use of machine learning and digital technologies in clinical research. This initiative will focus on enhancing research design and data analysis practices in rehabilitation. Our vision is to become a leading collaborative platform, setting global standards and driving innovation in the integration of these technologies to transform clinical research and practice in rehabilitation.

We invite those with a passion for machine learning and digital technologies to join our efforts. Over the coming year, our objectives include: 

• To develop protocol and report standards using technological measurements (e.g., wearable devices) in rehabilitation.
• To develop “cheat sheets” (study design and data collection) for use in wearable devices and machine learning for investigators in study design. 
• To develop “cheat sheets” for (data report and analysis) for use in wearable devices and machine learning for investigators in reporting findings

If you’re passionate about advancing equitable measurement practices, we’d love to have you on board for this important initiative. To get involved, please reach out to Andrew D. Delgado.