Dear Dr. Hamaguchi,

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Monika Błaszczyszyn

Academic Editor

PLOS One

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Additional Editor Comments (if provided):

[Note: HTML markup is below. Please do not edit.]

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->?>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: The research team enrolled 64 patients with stroke and hemiparesis to evaluate the reliability and validity of the newly developed ARAT. The results showed the new ARAT has excellent reliability and strong criterion-related validity compared with the conventional version.

1. While the new ARAT maintained identical assessment protocols, modifications in several test objects existed. Please explain the reason for incorporating these modifications and comment on their potential effects on performance and interpretation of final results.

2. It would be good to include p-values for formal group comparison in Table 1.

3. Convergent validity was assessed based on two groups, which may introduce confounding. Is there any way to evaluate its impact or can any potential sensitivity analysis be conducted?

4. Figures 4 and 5 show some data points aligning to either the vertical bar or the horizontal bar. Is there a potential threshold effect? How does it affect the results and interpretation?

Reviewer #2: I laud the authors on their well-crafted manuscript of an expertly designed and responsibly executed study!

Please see the attached .pdf file for my detailed commentary (which I hope that the authors will be capable of addressing).

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what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: 0ge arum

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: PONE-D-25-51652_reviewer (Reviewers Mark-up).pdf

Reliability and validity of a newly developed Action Research Arm Test for upper limb function assessment in patients with stroke: A comparison with the conventional version

PONE-D-25-51652R1

Dear Dr. Hamaguchi,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Monika Błaszczyszyn

Academic Editor

PLOS One

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions??>

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->?>

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: The authors conscientiously addressed all of my comments, some of which were (reassuringly) convergent with those of the other reviewer; it was an honor to peer-review their well-written manuscript on their well-executed study!

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what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: 0ge arum, Ph.D.

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