The author's reply

Authors

Janet E. Sansoni, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

84965

Publication Details

Sansoni, J. E. (2013). The author's reply. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, 56 (11), e411-e411.

Abstract

To the Editor-I note with interest the comments made by Steven Wexner and Eran Choman. The Revised Faecal Incontinence Scale (RFIS) was originally developed by including the Wexner Scale and other fecal incontinence items in a large Australian community sample (N = 2915) and selecting the items with the best psychometric properties. Thus, there is substantial comparative Australian population data for the RFIS and the Wexner Scale. Our article states that this is an initial validation of the RFIS in clinical settings, and appropriate caveats are placed on the findings in view of the small sample size (N = 61). It was noted, however, that the internal structure of the RFIS in the clinical sample was very similar to that produced in the larger population sample1 which confirmed the stability of its descriptive system. Although a larger clinical sample would have been preferred, this was a time-limited study and it was acknowledged that ongoing clinical validation of the instrument would be required.