The SCAT was developed by experienced clinicians to assess cognitive and functional skills required by individuals with an SCI below C7 to perform self-care (McFarland et al. 1992). Cognitive and functional skills are measured in eight self-care areas: bathing/grooming; nutritional management; medications; mobility/transfers/safety; skin management; bladder management; and bowel management.  For each area the clinician assesses the cognitive and functional skills. The items in the SCAT consider the use of physical assistance as well as assistive devices. The scale for each item is yes/no/not applicable.

Number of items: 81 (41 cognitive and 40 functional)

Procedure/Administration: The SCAT is an interviewer administered test. A cognitive and a functional subscale score can be calculated as well as an overall score, although no details are provided on how to calculate the scores. 

How scored: N/a

Interpretability: No standardized norms are available and no results were reported so it is difficult to make any comparisons. 

Acceptability: The SCAT was developed specifically for the SCI patient population whereas many other self-care measures have been developed for a broad range of health conditions. However, the SCAT does not appear to be widely used in either the clinical setting or in research.

Languages: N/a

Usability: The tool has been used in both the rehabilitation and community setting.

Time to administer: No information available.

Time to score: No information available.

Training required: None

Availability: For a copy, contact the authors of the original article (McFarland et al; 1992).

Equipment required: N/a

Summary: N/a

Psychometric Summary:      

Note: TR= Test re-test; IC= Internal Consistency; Inter-O= Inter-observer; Intra-O= Intra-observer; SS= Sensitivity/Specificity; N/a= No information.

Red light= A single study involving SCI subjects which has less than adequate findings of reliability, validity, and/or responsiveness.

Yellow light= A single study involving subjects with SCI which has adequate to excellent findings of reliability, validity, and/or responsiveness.

Green light= At least 2 studies involving subjects with SCI which have adequate to excellent findings of reliability, validity, and/or responsiveness.

* TR was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients
** Validity was predictive validity (construct as no gold standard exists) and it was assessed by comparing pre-discharge score with 6 months post discharge score.

References

• McFarland SM, Sasser L, Boss BJ, Dickerson JL, Stelling JD. Self-care assessment tool for spinal cord injured persons. SCI Nursing 1992;9:111-116.