Inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Mini-BESTest in assessing individuals with peripheral vestibular disorders
Keywords:
reliability, Mini-BESTest, vestibular, fall, balanceAbstract
Background: Vestibular disorders compromise balance and increase the risk of falls, yet reliable assessment tools remain limited. The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), which evaluates multiple domains of postural control, may address this need. Previous research has been limited to bilateral vestibulopathy without reporting reliability metrics, leaving its measurement consistency in peripheral vestibular disorders unexamined.
Objective: To evaluate the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Mini-BESTest in patients with vestibular disorders.
Materials and Methods: Ten patients with vestibular disorders participated. A licensed physical therapist conducted and recorded the initial Mini-BESTest assessments. Seven days later, two physical therapists independently scored the video recordings to determine inter- and intra-rater reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used (ICC(2,1) for inter-rater; ICC(3,1) for intra-rater), along with the standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC).
Results: The Mini-BESTest showed excellent inter-rater reliability for the total score (ICC = 0.96, SEM = 0.93, MDC = 2.58). Subscores demonstrated good to excellent reliability: sensory orientation, reactive postural control, and dynamic gait showed excellent reliability (ICC = 0.91-1.00), while anticipatory control (ICC = 0.90) demonstrated good reliability. Intra-rater reliability was excellent for the total score (ICC = 0.99, SEM = 0.46, MDC = 1.29), with sub scores also demonstrating excellent reliability (ICC = 0.93–1.00).
Conclusion: The Mini-BESTest demonstrates strong reliability for the total score and most subscores in patients with vestibular disorders. These findings support the Mini-BESTest as a reliable tool for clinical and research use in assessing balance impairments
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