ASSESSMENT CONCERNS

1. ASSESSMENT CONCERNS KNR 279

2. Stumbo, 2001 • In the 60-plus years since the origins of the profession, it seems little progress in therapeutic recreation assessment has been made. • Most TRSs are not receiving adequate training in the processes of intervention, assessment, and outcome measurement.

3. Interest Inventories • List of activities that clients like, are involved in, or interested in • Dominant emphasis on interest inventories in TR • Despite evidence and concerns, TR professionals continue to use as major or only assessment • Stumbo, 1993/94

4. Interest Inventories • “One type of assessment that has little chance of successful use in intervention programs is the activity interest inventory” (p. 11) • Activity interest inventories “maybe detrimental to efforts aimed at accountability” of TR services (p. 11) • Stumbo, 1993/94

5. Interest Inventories • One of the most abused and least understood assessments • Too simplistic • Assumes interests translate into skills and participation • Does not address motivation • Assumes more interests are necessary

6. Interest Inventories • Assumes old skills always need to be adapted and new skills need to be learned • Even if 50 activities are listed, they are a small representation of the diversity of activities • Stumbo, 1993/94

7. Interest Inventories – Appropriate Use • Client has choice about participating in programs • Client has ability to make informed choices • Intervention is not the sole intent of the program • Long-term care agencies or diversionary programs

8. Interest Inventories – Appropriate Use • Community-based programs • Leisure skills • Recreation participation • Referral to community resources • Stumbo, 1993/94 • STILAP

9. Assessment Concerns • Lack of adequate number of assessments (fewer than 50) • Not enough commercial instruments reflect program content or specific populations • Lack multicultural sensitivity • So, what happens? • Buy an assessment that’s not appropriate • Borrow an assessment from related field • Develop own assessment

10. Assessment Concerns • Lack of high quality assessments • Validation problems • Use of assessment for purposes not validated, e.g., research • Use of interest inventories

11. Assessment Concerns • Lack of assessment resources • Hard time finding information about assessments • Cost of assessments • Specialist competence • Not trained in assessment, research methods, & leisure behavior

12. Assessment Concerns • Measuring desired characteristics or behaviors • Leisure behavior and independent functioning are hard to define & measure • Not refined to measure low levels of functioning • Not sensitive to measure small changes in behavior

13. Assessment Concerns • Content of assessment does not match program • Lack of protocols (development, conduct, score, interpret) • Not following protocols • Staff not trained properly • GIGO or garbage in, garbage out

14. Assessment Concerns • Professional concerns • Shortened length of stay • Workforce reductions & increased job duties • Interdisciplinary assessments limit reported TR information

15. TR Assessments • What was your reaction to reading about the state of the art of TR assessments? • What can be done?