Occupational Assessments
ADL Assessments
Play/Leisure Assessments
Work Assessments
Name: Assessment of Motor and Process Skills
Purpose: assesses effectiveness, efficiency, or safety of a person’s
ADL task performance (including BADLs and IADLs)
Method: interview to determine 3-5 tasks relevant to client that will be
sufficiently challenging; client selects 2-3 offered by therapist and is
observed performing them; rater scores quality of 16motor skills and 20
process abilities from 4= competent to 1=deficit
Population: anyone older than age 5 with any diagnosis that causes
functional limitations in ADLs
Name: Activity Index
Purpose: determines meaning of leisure and the extent of participation
Method: activity index questionnaire (23 listed activities); check level
of interest and participation in each activity with 4-point scale; 1= do
not participate/not interested to 4= do at least 3x per week
Population: elder aged 65 and older
Name: EPIC Functional Evaluation System
Purpose: determines capacity for lifting, carrying, climbing, industrial
pulling and pushing, balance while walking, motor coordination,
standing, whole body ROM, and finger/hand dexterity
Method: use of commercially available standardized EPIC 6 modules
Population: adults
Name: Barthel Index
Purpose: measures a person’s independence in BADLs before and
after intervention and measures level of personal care needed
Method: includes 10 items (feeding, transferring, hygiene/grooming,
toileting, control of bowel, control of bladder, bathing, dressing, walking
on level ground, negotiating/climbing stairs); uses direct observation of
task performance, interview of individual or caregiver, and review of
medical records; max score is 100 (10 points per item)
Population: adults/elders with physical disabilities/chronic illnesses in
a hospital setting
Name: Interest Checklist
Purpose: assesses level of interest in leisure activities/interests and
perspective on how this involvement has changed over time
Method: 80 item checklist rated as strong, casual, or no interest;
interview about life history of leisure interests and pursuits
Population: originally developed for adults and elders, but it has been
used with adolescents as well
Name: Jacobs Prevocational Assessment
Purpose: assesses work-related skills
Method: 14 major areas in which individual completes 15 brief tasks;
evaluator checks off areas that were observed to present difficulty; time
for task completion and comments abut behavior are recorded
Population: preadolescents and adolescents with learning disabilities
Name: Cognitive Performance Test
Purpose: assesses 6 functional ADL tasks requiring cognitive
processing skills based on Allen’s Cognitive Level Theory
Method: each task is performed (dressing, shopping, making toast,
making a phone call, washing, traveling); scoring follows Allen’s levels1= lowest level to 6= highest level (max test score is 36)
Population: adults and elders with psychiatric/cognitive dysfunction
Name: Leisure Diagnostic Battery
Purpose: measures leisure experience, and motivational and
situational issues that influence leisure
Method: questionnaire rated with 1 to 3 scale, indicating agreement
with statements
Population: adults, but there are adapted scales for children 9-14 (no
cognitive deficits) and another for children 9-14 (educable MR)
Name: McCarron-Dial System
Purpose: assesses prevocational, vocational, and educational abilities
of those with disabilities and or sociocultural disadvantages
Method: 5 main areas (cognitive/verbal/spatial, sensory, motor,
emotional, coping/integrative/adaptive behaviors); screening interview &
observation based
Population: 16 & older, neurophysiologically/psychosocially impaired
Name: Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and WeeFIM
Purpose: to assess severity of disability as determined by what the
individual actually does and the amount of assistance needed by the
individual to complete each task
Method: 6 performance areas (self-care, sphincter management,
mobility, locomotion, communication, and social cognition) are
assessed, each with subsections; activities are observed; each item is
scored on a scale of 1 to 7, for a total FIM score of 18-126
Population: adults with disabilities who are not functionally
independent (for the FIM), children aged 6 months to 7 years who are
being seen for intervention (for WeeFIM)
Name: Leisure Satisfaction Scale
Purpose: measures perception that leisure pursuits are meeting
personal needs
Method: 6 categories (psychological, educational, social, relaxation,
psychological, aesthetic); 5 point scale, 1= almost never true to 5=
almost always true
Population: adults and elders
Name: Reading Free Vocational Interest Inventory
Purpose: identifies vocational areas of interest and/or patterns of
interest in a number of vocational areas
Method: present a group of 3 pics representing unskilled, semi-skilled,
and skilled job tasks and request which is most preferred; continues for
55 sets of pictures; selections are converted into numerical scores that
represent his/her level of interest
Population: adolescents and adults with learning or developmental
disabilities
Name: Katz Index of ADL
Purpose: to assess level of independent functioning and type of
assistance required
Method: 6 areas (bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence,
feeding); activity performance is observed or interview; each activity is
rated independent to dependent and then given a global letter score
Population: adults and elders with chronic illness
Name: Meaningfulness of Activity Scale
Purpose: measures level of enjoyment, motivational source,
perception of competence, and participation in leisure
Method: questionnaire; likert scale used for 3 subscales (level of
activity enjoyment, reason for doing activity, perception of activity
competence)
Population: adults and elders
Name: Smith Physical Capacity Evaluation
Purpose: individual’s performance on 154 items
Method: performance of real or simulated work tasks based on person’s
interests
Population: adults
ADL Assessments
Play/Leisure Assessments
Work Assessments
Name: Kitchen Task Assessment
Purpose: measures skills used to perform a simple cooking task
Method: observation of cooking activity; scores of 0= independent to
3= totally incapable for 6 categorizes of task skills (initiation,
organization, performing all steps, proper sequence, judgment and
safety, completion of task); final scores range from 0-18
Population: adults and elders with senile dementia (Alzheimer’s type)
Name: Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire
Purpose: measurement of the energy expended by a person during
engagement in leisure activity
Method: interview using list of 63 physical activities to determine what
has been performed in last 12 months; individual specifies level of
participation for each month
Population: adults
Name: Testing, Orientation, and Work Evaluation in Rehab
Purpose: assesses ability to complete specific work samples
Method: 14 job training areas and 110 work samples; individual
completes therapist selected work samples; individual’s performance is
compared to norms
Population: adults with physical and/or psychiatric disorders
Name: Klein-Bell ADL Scale
Purpose: assesses independent functioning in ADLs
Method: 170 items in 6 areas (dressing, elimination, mobility,
bathing/hygiene, eating, emergency telephone communication);
observation of tasks; each item is rated as achieved or failed
Population: individuals from 6 months old to elderly with any diagnosis
Name: Play History
Purpose: assess developmental level & adequacy of play environment
Method: semi-structured interview; values are assigned to the info
according to manual standards
Population: children and adolescents
Name: Valpar Component Work Sample
Purpose: assesses group of skills required for employment tasks
Method: completion of up to 23 work samples; quality of and time of
task performance are scored
Population: adults with or without disabilities; adapted version for those
who are visually impaired
Name: Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills
Purpose: determines knowledge, performance skills to live independ.
Method: 17 basic living skills, 5 main areas (self-care, safety and
health, money management, transportation and telephone,
work/leisure); structured/ standardized task observation, self-report;
score of independent (0 points) or needs assistance (1 point) is given;
score of 6 or more = absence of skills needed to live independently
Population: adolescents and adults in acute psychiatric hospitals, as
well as elders and those with a diversity of diagnoses
Name: Preschool Play Scale
Purpose: observation of play behavior
Method: 4 play dimensions (space & material management, imitation,
participation); observation of free play for 15-30 min periods;
comparison of observations with expected play behaviors; play age
score is derived by comparing observed behaviors to expected agespecific behaviors
Population: children
Name: Vocational Interest Inventory-Revised
Purpose: measurement of student interest in employment areas
Method: questionnaire with 8 areas and 112 forced choice statements
related to familiar job activities and titles; selections are compared to
norms
Population: high school students who are unclear about their
vocational pursuits
Name: Milwaukee Evaluation of Daily Living Skills
Purpose: assesses performance of needed basic living skills
Method: screening form is used and then evaluation (basic
communication, personal hygiene, med management, personal health
care, time awareness, eating, dressing safety in home, safety in
community, use of phone, transportation, maintenance of clothing, use
of money); performance observation based; all items are scored
Population: adults 18 or older who have chronic mental illness (2+
years) and who have resided (6 months +), in psychiatric hospital,
halfway house, group home, SNF, or participated in OP day tx program
Name: Vocational Interest, Temperament, and Aptitude System
Purpose: assesses vocational interests, temperament, and aptitudes to
assist with career guidance/vocational placement
Method: completion of up to 22 work samples and a vocational interest
interview; time and quality of performance are scored based on
observations
Population: adolescents aged 14 and older; adults
Name: Routine Task Inventory
Purpose: measures level of impairment in ADLs by Allen’s model
Method: 6 physical scales, 8 instrumental scales; observation, selfreport, report of caregiver; item is rated according to Allen’s levels 1-6
Population: adults and elders with cognitive impairments
Name: Worker Role Interview
Purpose: determines psychosocial/environmental factors related to past
work experience, job setting, and ability to return to work
Method: structured interview; 1-4 scale; 1= problems to 4= supports
Population: adults involved in a work hardening program
Name: Scoreable Self-Care Evaluation
Purpose: measures functional performance and identifies difficulties
Method: 18 basic living tasks in 4 main areas (personal care,
housekeeping chores, work/leisure, financial management);
motivational questionnaire then performance is observed and scored
Population: adolescents, adults, and elders with psychiatric illnesses
in acute hospital settings or living in the community