Interrater reliability of the Functional Assessment Measure in a brain injury rehabilitation program.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the interrater reliability and completion time of the Functional Assessment Measure, which is the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) plus additional items (FIM+FAM).


METHODS
Interrater reliability study.


METHODS
Inpatient rehabilitation units of a postacute care brain injury rehabilitation program.


METHODS
A convenience sample of 53 extremely severely impaired adult survivors of traumatic brain injuries (40 men, 13 women, mean age 38yrs).


METHODS
Treatment team members' ratings of the 30 FIM +FAM items, and time taken to complete the FIM+FAM.


RESULTS
Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) were within the good to excellent range (ICC > .60) for 29 of 30 items and for all subscales except psychosocial adjustment. Higher mean ICC values were obtained for motor domain items than for cognitive/psychosocial domain items. Treatment teams became progressively faster over a 12-week period in completing the FIM+FAM. The generally good to excellent range interrater reliability found in this study helps support the use of the FIM+FAM in rehabilitation settings. Further support was obtained for the finding that motor items are more reliable than cognitive and psychosocial items. Administration of the FIM+FAM can be done in a timely manner in a rehabilitation setting.
Donaghy
S
S
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program, Alberta Hospital Ponoka, Canada.
Wass
P J
PJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome