Validation of the Machine Learning-Based Stroke Impact Scale With a Cross-Cultural Sample.

Importance: The machine learning-based Stroke Impact Scale (ML-SIS) is an efficient short-form measure that uses 28 items to provide domain scores comparable to those of the original 59-item Stroke Impact Scale-Third Edition (SIS 3.0). However, its utility is largely unknown because it has not been cross-validated with an independent sample.

Objective: To examine the ML-SIS's comparability and test-retest reliability with that of the original SIS 3.0 in an independent sample of people with stroke.

Design: Comparability was examined with the coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error, and root-mean-square error (RMSE). Test-retest reliability was examined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Setting: Five hospitals in Taiwan.

Participants: Data of 263 persons with stroke were extracted from a previous study; 144 completed repeated assessments after a 2-wk interval.

Results: High R2 (.87-.95) and low mean absolute error or RMSE (about 2.4 and 3.3) of the domain scores, except for the Emotion scores (R2 = .08), supported the comparability of the two measures. Similar ICC values (.39-.87 vs. .46-.87) were found between the two measures, suggesting that the ML-SIS is as reliable as the SIS 3.0.

Conclusions And Relevance: The ML-SIS provides scores mostly identical to those of the original measure, with similar test-retest reliability, except for the Emotion domain. Thus, it is a promising alternative that can be used to lessen the burden of routine assessments and provide scores comparable to those of the original SIS 3.0. Plain-Language Summary: The machine learning-based Stroke Impact Scale (ML-SIS) is as reliable as the original Stroke Impact Scale-Third Edition, except for the Emotion domain. Thus, the ML-SIS can be used to improve the efficiency of clinical assessments and also relieve the burden on people with stroke who are completing the assessments.