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Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: impact of blinded parent-proxy ratings on outcome
Margaret A Wallen1, Jenny M Ziviani
1Occupational Therapy Department, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW 2145 Australia. margaret.wallen@health.nsw.gov.au
Background:
There is potential for unintended effects on intervention outcome when using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) in intervention studies.
Purpose:
To determine the effect of blinded parent-proxy ratings of the COPM on outcomes at later endpoints.
Methods:
Data were drawn from a randomized trial of 50 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy aged 19 months to seven years. Outcomes were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and six months. Parents of 36 children were randomly allocated to complete six-month COPM proxy ratings blinded or unblinded to previous ratings. A group of 32 parents rated the six-month COPM blinded and then re-rated it after access to previous ratings.
Findings:
There was no statistically significant difference in ratings between those completing the COPM blinded compared to unblinded.
Implications:
The COPM should continue to be rated blinded at post-intervention endpoints in the absence of further research to the contrary.
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