Presenter Name:Sarah Gregor

School/Affiliation:University of Toronto

Co-Authors:Avril Mansfield, George Mochizuki, Joyce Chen, Kara Patterson

Abstract:

Background: The Beat Alignment Test (BAT) is a common tool to measure rhythm abilities with potential to be administered online for remote research. This study aims to determine the feasibility, test-retest reliability, and learning effects for online delivery of the BAT in adults with and without stroke.

Methods: Neurotypical adults (n=35) and adults with chronic stroke (n=23) completed the BAT online 3 times, with sessions separated by 2 to 4 days. The BAT includes a perception task (identifying whether tones overlayed on music matched the beat of the music) and a production task (tapping to the beat of music). Feasibility was evaluated with completion rates, technical challenges, technical resolutions, participant rating of feasibility, and evaluation of time to complete the test. Reliability was measured using inter-class correlations, and learning effects were determined using a repeated measures ANOVA.

Results: The five a priori feasibility criteria for the online version of the BAT were met more with neurotypical adults (4/5) than people withs stroke (1/5). Most components of the online BAT were considered reliable based on a 0.60 cut-off, except for perception in the neurotypical group, and production asynchrony in the stroke group. There was no learning effect for any component of the BAT in either group.

Conclusions: Online administration of the BAT is more feasible for neurotypical adults than people with stroke. Since it is mostly reliable tool with no learning effect, the BAT is a promising way to assess rhythm abilities online for remote research.