Validity of using the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills to determine the need for assistance

This study evaluated the validity of using Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) measures as evidence of the need for assistance in the community.

In a retrospective analysis of existing data (N = 64,466), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, and a split-sample method was used to validate the predictions.

When identifying people who need assistance versus those who do not need assistance in the community, activity of daily living (ADL) motor and ADL process measures have fair and good discriminating value, respectively (areas under the ROC curves were .78 and .84). Evidence supports placing ADL motor and ADL process independence cutoff measures at 1.50 logits (sensitivity = .67, specificity = .72) and 1.00 logit (sensitivity = .81, specificity = .70), respectively. Accuracy was highest when matched motor and process decisions occurred (sensitivity = .85, specificity = .83).

Evidence supports using ADL ability measures from the AMPS to provide evidence of a client's need for assistance in the community.