Measurement in Occupational Therapy: Scientific Criteria for Evaluation

Measurement Instruments are used by occupational therapists to describe patients, predict recovery and evaluate immediate treatment effect within their clinical practice. An instrument's development and methodological properties are guided by the purpose of the instrument. In this paper, criteria are proposed for evaluating the utility of measurement tools used by occupational therapists. These criteria are discussed within the framework of the intended use of the instrument. The criteria include the instrument's purpose, clinical utility, construction and scaling, standardization, reliability, validity and responsiveness. An algorithm to guide therapists' appraisal of measurement instruments is included.