Development of a standardized instrument to assess computer task performance.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Assessment of Computer Task Performance, specifically, the test-retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity, and ability to discriminate between known groups. METHOD This assessment comprises 14 standardized and timed tasks. It was administered to 24 persons with upper-extremity impairments and 30 with no impairments by a trained occupational therapist. To assess the test-retest reliability, participants in the impaired group were retested within 2 to 7 days. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to determine test-retest reliability. Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's alpha, and factor analysis was conducted to examine construct validity. The Mann Whitney U Test was used to assess the test's ability to discriminate between the groups. RESULTS Results indicated that the tool has excellent reliability and internal consistency, can discriminate between groups, and has appropriate construct validity. CONCLUSION The Assessment of Computer Task Performance provides occupational therapists with an accurate test to measure computer performance and can assist them in providing computer access services.