Types of Outcome Measures

OT Dude Academy’s Free NBCOT® Exam Prep Course Assessments Introduction Types of Outcome Measures

Many types of outcome measures and assessment scales can obtain information from clients compared to populations.1 

  • General Health Measures, e.g., General Health Questionnaire
  • Measures of Physical Function, e.g., ADL Evaluation Form
  • Mobility Measures, e.g., Rivermead Mobility Index2 
  • Pain Measures, e.g., Visual Analog Scale
  • Fatigue Measures, e.g., Fatigue Impact Scale3 
  • Social Health Measures, e.g., Social Health Battery
  • Quality of Life Measures, e.g., Quality of Life Index
  • Satisfaction Measures4 5 
  • Neurological and Rehabilitative Measures, e.g., Stroke Impact Scale6 
  • Other Specific Measures, e.g., Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale

Examples of Outcome Measures

(Not an exhaustive list for the NBCOT)

Cognitive Assessments

  1. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): Quick screening for cognitive impairment.
  2. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): Detects mild cognitive impairment.
  3. Allen Cognitive Level Screen (ACLS): Assesses cognitive levels using leather lacing tasks.
  4. Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA): Evaluates multiple cognitive domains.
  5. Boston Naming Test (BNT): Measures language abilities.
  6. Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT): Evaluates executive functions in daily tasks.
  7. Cognitive Performance Test (CPT): Assesses functional cognition in adults with dementia.
  8. Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT): Measures visual neglect and attention.
  9. Contextual Memory Test (CMT): Assesses awareness and strategy use in memory.

Motor Skills and Dexterity

  1. Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS-2): Evaluates motor skills in children.
  2. Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2): Measures motor skills in children and adolescents.
  3. 9-Hole Peg Test: Measures finger dexterity.
  4. Dynamometer (Grip Strength): Assesses hand strength.
  5. Box and Blocks Test: Measures manual dexterity.
  6. Functional Test for the Hemiparetic Upper Extremity (FTHUE): Evaluates upper extremity function post-stroke.
  7. Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT): Assesses upper extremity motor ability post-stroke.
  8. Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI): Measures visual-motor integration.
  9. Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT): Evaluates manual dexterity.
  10. Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS): Measures visual perceptual skills.
  11. Jebsen Hand Function Test: Assesses fine motor skills required for ADLs.

Sensory Processing

  1. Sensory Profile: Assesses sensory processing patterns.
  2. Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT): Evaluates sensory integration and praxis.
  3. Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile: Measures sensory processing in older children and adults.

Balance and Mobility

  1. Timed Up and Go (TUG): Measures mobility and balance.
  2. Berg Balance Scale (BBS): Evaluates balance in older adults.
  3. Functional Reach Test: Measures stability and balance.
  4. Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI): Assesses mobility in neurological impairments.
  5. Dynamic Gait Index (DGI): Evaluates gait, balance, and fall risk.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

  1. Functional Independence Measure (FIM): Assesses physical and cognitive disability in ADLs.
  2. Modified Barthel Index (MBI): Measures performance in ADLs.
  3. Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS): Evaluates basic living skills.
  4. Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills (PASS): Measures ADL and IADL performance.
  5. Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD): Assesses ADLs and IADLs in dementia patients.
  6. Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS): Evaluates motor and process skills in ADLs.
  7. Assessment of Life Habits (LIFE-H): Assesses daily living habits.

Pediatric Assessments

  1. Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI): Assesses functional capabilities in children.
  2. School Function Assessment (SFA): Measures functional tasks in the school setting.
  3. Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting (ETCH): Assesses handwriting skills in children.
  4. Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI): Measures quality of life in children with musculoskeletal disorders.
  5. Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP-2): Measures visual perception and visual-motor integration.
  6. Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale: Assesses ADHD symptoms and performance in children.

Stroke and Neurological Assessments

  1. Fugl-Meyer Assessment: Measures motor function post-stroke.
  2. Stroke Impact Scale (SIS): Assesses the impact of stroke on daily life.
  3. Arnadottir OT-ADL Neurobehavioral Evaluation (A-ONE): Evaluates neurobehavioral deficits impacting ADLs.
  4. Disability Rating Scale (DRS): Assesses functional changes post-brain injury.
  5. Rancho Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Functioning: Evaluates cognitive recovery levels post-brain injury.
  6. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS): Measures degree of disability or dependence post-stroke.

Mental Health and Psychosocial

  1. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): Screens for depression in older adults.
  2. Role Checklist: Evaluates role participation and satisfaction.
  3. Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM): Measures self-perceived occupational performance.
  4. Activity Card Sort (ACS): Evaluates engagement in activities.
  5. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS): Measures physical, mental, and social health.
  6. Visual Analog Scale (VAS): Measures pain intensity.
  7. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI): Assesses severity of depression.
  8. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI): Measures severity of anxiety.

Specialized Assessments

  1. Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS): Assesses muscle spasticity.
  2. Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART): Evaluates disability and participation.
  3. Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS): Measures goal achievement with an individualized approach.
  4. Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS): Assesses vestibular and ocular motor function.
  5. Quality of Life Scale (QOLS): Measures perceived quality of life.
  6. Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS): Assesses impact of fatigue on functioning.
  7. Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI): Evaluates impact of dizziness on daily life.
  8. Pain Disability Index (PDI): Measures pain-related disability.
  9. Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI): Assesses sleep hygiene practices.

Functional Mobility

  1. Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT): Measures functional exercise capacity.
  2. Functional Gait Assessment (FGA): Evaluates postural stability during walking.
  3. Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA): Assesses balance and gait.
  4. Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC): Evaluates ambulation ability.
  5. Physical Performance Test (PPT): Measures physical function in older adults.

Cardiopulmonary Assessments

  1. Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE): Assesses perceived exertion during physical activity.
  2. Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ): Measures health status in heart failure patients.
  3. St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ): Evaluates health-related quality of life in chronic respiratory disease.

Hand and Upper Extremity

  1. QuickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand): Measures upper limb function and symptoms.
  2. Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ): Assesses hand function and outcomes.
  3. Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE): Evaluates wrist pain and disability.

Vision

  1. Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT): Evaluates visual perception without motor involvement.
  2. Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP-3): Measures visual perception and visual-motor integration in children.
  3. Brain Injury Visual Assessment Battery for Adults (biVABA): Assesses visual processing and visual perception in brain injury.

Pediatric Development

  1. Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ): Screens developmental performance in children.
  2. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-4): Assesses developmental functioning in young children.

Upper Extremity Function

  1. Jamar Hand Function Test: Measures grip and pinch strength.
  2. Nine-Hole Peg Test: Assesses finger dexterity.
  3. Box and Block Test: Measures manual dexterity.

Functional Performance

  1. Barthel Index: Measures performance in activities of daily living.
  2. Functional Independence Measure (FIM): Assesses disability level in performing ADLs.
  3. Assessment of Life Habits (LIFE-H): Evaluates daily living habits.

Cognitive-Behavioral

  1. Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT): Measures visual neglect and attention.
  2. Comprehensive Trail Making Test (CTMT): Evaluates attention, sequencing, and cognitive flexibility.

Psychosocial

  1. Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS): Measures social anxiety.
  2. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES): Assesses self-esteem.
  3. Role Checklist: Evaluates role participation and satisfaction, providing insight into a client’s perception of their roles and the impact on their overall well-being​.

Community Participation

  1. Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ): Measures community participation and integration.
  2. Participation Scale (P-Scale): Evaluates participation restrictions.

Quality of Life

  1. SF-36 Health Survey: The SF-36 measures health-related quality of life across eight domains, including physical functioning, bodily pain, and general health perceptions, making it a comprehensive tool for assessing overall well-being and the impact of health on daily life.
  2. Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL): Measures health-related quality of life in children and adolescents.
  3. Quality of Well-Being Scale (QWB): Assesses overall well-being and quality of life.
  4. Sickness Impact Profile (SIP): Evaluates the impact of sickness on daily activities and quality of life.

Pain Assessment

  1. McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ): Measures pain intensity and quality.
  2. Brief Pain Inventory (BPI): Assesses pain severity and its impact on daily functions.
  3. Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS): Quantifies pain intensity on a numeric scale.
  4. Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale: Uses facial expressions to assess pain intensity, useful for children and those with communication difficulties.

 

  1. Donovan, J. L., Frankel, S. J., and Eyles, J. D. (1993) Assessing the need for health status measures. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 47, 158–162.[↩]
  2. Forlander DA, Bohannon RW: Rivermead Mobility Index: a brief review of research to date, Clin Rehabil 13:97–100, 1999.[↩]
  3. Fisk J, Ritvo P, Ross L, et al: Measuring the functional impact of fatigue: initial validation of the Fatigue Impact Scale, Clin Infect Dis 18(Suppl 1): 79–83, 1994.[↩]
  4. Chiu, T., & Tickle-Degnen, L. (2002). Learning from evidence: Service outcomes and client satisfaction with occupational therapy home-based services. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 56, 217–220. http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.56.2.217[↩]
  5. Kielhofner, G., Hammel, J., Finlayson, M., Helfrich, C., & Taylor, R. R. (2004). Documenting outcomes of occupational therapy: The Center for Outcomes Research and Education. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 58, 15–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.58.1.15[↩]
  6. Duncan PW, Bode RK, Min Lai S, et al: Rasch analysis of a new stroke- specific outcome scale: the stroke impact scale, Arch Phys Med Rehabil 84:950–963, 2003.[↩]
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