Purpose
The VSS is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess and differentiate symptoms of balance disorder, and somatic anxiety and autonomic arousal in patients complaining of dizziness and vertigo.
Acronym
VSS
Area of Assessment
Bodily Functions
General Health & Development
Movement
Activities & Participation
Vestibular
Assessment Type
Patient Reported Outcomes
Administration Mode
Paper & Pencil
Cost
Free
Diagnosis/Conditions
- Brain Injury Recovery
- Vestibular Disorders
- The long version contains 36 items addressing frequency and severity of dizziness symptoms within the last 12 months. Frequency of symptoms is rated on a Likert scale: 0 points: ¡°never¡±, 1 point: ¡°a few times (1-3 times a year)¡±, 2 points: ¡°several times (4-12 times a year)¡±, 3 points: ¡°quite often (on average, more than once a month)¡± and 4 points: ¡°very often (on average more than once a week)¡±. Total score aims to figure out the severity of dizziness.
Two principle subscales distinguishing between items related to vertigo and imbalance (Vertigo symptom scale) and those suggestive of anxiety and arousal (Autonomic/Anxiety).
Vertigo/balance sub scale score range: 0-76
Autonomic/Anxiety subscale score range: 0-60
Four subscales are derived from the questionnaire which measure:
1) Acute Vertigo: dizziness or unsteadiness lasting more than one hour sometimes accompanied by falling, nausea and vomiting
2) Vertigo of short duration: isolated sensations of disorientation or disequilibrium
3) Autonomic symptoms: heart pounding, excessive sweating, feeling fiat or short of breath
4) Somatization or over reporting of health problems manifested as a tendency to complain of a large number of diverse symptoms
Each item scored on a 5 point scale (range 0-4) and measure of symptom severity is obtained by summing item scores.
To obtain a measure of symptom severity, sum marked responses of the total and/or the respective sub-scales.
Mean score: divide sum-score by respective number of scale items.
- Frequency of symptoms is rated on a Likert scale:
0 points: ¡°never¡±
1 point: ¡°a few times (1-3 times a year)¡±
2 points: ¡°several times (4-12 times a year)¡±
3 points: ¡°quite often (on average, more than once a month)¡±
4 points: ¡°very often (on average more than once a week)¡±
- Two principal subscales distinguish between items related to vertigo and imbalance (Vertigo symptom scale) as well as items suggestive of anxiety and arousal (Autonomic/Anxiety):
1) Vertigo/balance sub scale score range: 0-76
2) Autonomic/Anxiety subscale score range: 0-60
- Scoring:
1) Total score aims to figure out the severity of dizziness
2) Maximum score: 136 (severe vertigo)
3) Minimum score: 0 (no symptoms)
- Four subscales are derived from the questionnaire which measure:
1) Acute Vertigo: dizziness or unsteadiness lasting more than one hour sometimes accompanied by falling, nausea and vomiting
2) Vertigo of short duration: isolated sensations of disorientation or disequilibrium
3) Autonomic symptoms: heart pounding, excessive sweating, feeling fiat or short of breath
4) Somatization or over reporting of health problems manifested as a tendency to complain of a large number of diverse symptoms
- Scoring:
1) Each item scored on a 5-point scale (range 0-4) and measure of symptom severity is obtained by summing item scores
2) To obtain a measure of symptom severity, sum marked responses of the total and/or the respective sub-scales
3) Mean score: divide sum-score by respective number of scale items
- Short Form contains 15 items:
1) Two sub-scales: 8 items relating to vertigo-balance (VSS-V score ranging from 0-32), and 7 items relating to autonomic anxiety symptoms (VSS-A, score ranging 0-28)
2) Severe dizziness defined as ¡Ý 12 points on the total scale
Number of Items
Long Form: 36
Short Form: 15
Required Training
Reading an Article/Manual
Instrument Reviewers
Initially reviewed by Jennifer Fay, PT, DPT, NCS and Tracy Rice, PT, MPH, NCS and the Vestibular EDGE task force of the Neurology section of the APTA.
Body Structure
Head
ICF Domain
Body Structure
Body Function
Measurement Domain
Emotion
General Health
Motor
Professional Association Recommendation
Recommendations for use of the instrument from the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association¡¯s Multiple Sclerosis Taskforce (MSEDGE), Parkinson¡¯s Taskforce (PD EDGE), Spinal Cord Injury Taskforce (PD EDGE), Stroke Taskforce (StrokEDGE), Traumatic Brain Injury Taskforce (TBI EDGE), and Vestibular Taskforce (Vestibular EDGE) are listed below. These recommendations were developed by a panel of research and clinical experts using a modified Delphi process.
For detailed information about how recommendations were made, please visit:
Abbreviations: | |
HR | Highly Recommend |
R | Recommend |
LS / UR | Reasonable to use, but limited study in target group / Unable to Recommend |
NR | Not Recommended |
Recommendations for use based on acuity level of the patient:
| Acute (CVA < 2 months post) (SCI < 1 month post) (Vestibular < 6 weeks post) | Subacute (CVA 2 to 6 months) (SCI 3 to 6 months) | Chronic (> 6 months) (Vestibular > 6 weeks post) |
Vestibular EDGE | LS | | LS |
Recommendations based on vestibular diagnosis
| Peripheral | Central | Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) | Other |
Vestibular EDGE | LS | LS | LS | LS |
Recommendations for entry-level physical therapy education and use in research:
| Students should learn to administer this tool? (Y/N) | Students should be exposed to tool? (Y/N) | Appropriate for use in intervention research studies? (Y/N) | Is additional research warranted for this tool (Y/N) |
Vestibular EDGE | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Considerations
- German Version (Gloor-Juzi et al., 2012) Turkish version (Yanik et al., 2008)
- Norwegian Version (Wilhelmsen et al., 2008)
- Afrikaans Version (Rogers et al., 2011)
- Spanish Version (Yardley et al., 1999)
Do you see an error or have a suggestion for this instrument summary? Please e-mail us!
