Reliability of the sunnybrook facial grading system by novice users

Objectives: To evaluate the intrarater and inter-rater reliability of the S unnybrook Facial Grading System (SFGS) by novice users. Design: Prospective interval study using one measurement instrument. Setting: Tertiary teaching hospital (Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sc ience Centre). Methods: Twenty-two patients with a wide spectrum of facial dysfunction rec orded on videotapes were rated using the SFGS by eight novice observers ind ependently in two different sittings separated by 3 weeks. The order of pat ients was randomized for the second sitting. Intraclass correlation coeffic ients were calculated for component scores and for total scores within and between raters. Results: The intrarater reliability coefficients for the eight raters range d from .838 to .929. This largely overlaps with the data obtained in previo us studies with expert raters. The inter-rater reliability for all eight ra ters at time I was .982 and for time 2 was .970. This is higher than what w as previously obtained with expert raters. Conclusion: The SFGS is as reliable when applied by novice users as by expe rt users.