Accurate score conversions for two different concussion assessments

By Minhong Kim. This article was initially published in our Concussion Update newsletter; please consider subscribing.

A study by researcher Laura Langer et al., published in Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, found that Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) symptom scores can be converted to Rivermead Post-concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) scores. “Being able to convert between the two scores would facilitate comparison of results in the concussion literature.”

Both SCAT and RPQ assessments measure concussion severity, with the former emphasizing somatic symptoms and the latter emphasizing cognitive symptoms. 

The authors assessed 215 concussion patients ten times over four months; the first test (week 1) was within seven days of injury, and the last test was in week 16. In each assessment, both the SCAT and RPQ were administered. Using this data, the researchers developed two equations: one converting SCAT to RPQ and one converting RPQ to SCAT.

Both equations predicted scores within 3 points of the actual measured scores. The accurate conversions of the SCAT and RPQ scores have positive implications for future reviews and meta-analyses of the literature. 

However, future studies are needed to confirm these findings, as this study had several limitations. First, the authors administered the RPQ before the SCAT in every assessment. Future studies should randomize this arrangement to properly balance the RPQ and SCAT tests. Furthermore, since participants in this study were 17 or older, these equations may not translate to the adolescent population.