Occupational therapy evaluation: use of self-report and/or observation?

Abstract

Background: The Occupational Therapy Intervention Process Model (OTIPM) serves to guide occupational therapists in their professional reasoning. The OTIPM prescribes evaluation of task performance based on both self-report and observation. Although this approach seems ideal, many clinicians raise the issue that time to perform evaluations is limited. It is, therefore, relevant to examine whether similar information concerning task performance can be obtained using self-report or observation. Objective: The aims were to investigate what information can be obtained regarding the quality of ADL task performance based on self-report and observation, respectively, and to examine the relationship between measures of self-reported and observed quality of ADL task performance. Methods: The quality of ADL task performance among 20 adults with depression was evaluated using the ADL Interview (ADL-I) and the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). Results and conclusions: Results indicated that participants both reported and demonstrated increased effort and/or fatigue, increased use of time, need for assistance, and safety problems. However, little relationship was found between measures of self-reported and observed quality of ADL task performance, supporting the use of both self-report and observation as part of the evaluation phase outlined in the OTIPM.

Key words:

• activities of daily living
• depression
• assessment
• interview
• OTIPM
• ADL-I
• AMPS

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the OAK Foundation and the Danish Foundation Trygfonden. The authors would like to thank the participants, who made this study possible, the occupational therapists Rikke S. Petersen, Sigrid Underhaug and Niels Rønne Ørtved, at Aalborg University Hospital-Psychiatry, for recruiting participants for the study and for conducting the occupational therapy evaluations. The authors would also like to thank Aalborg University Hospital-Psychiatry for supporting the study.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.