Summary

What it measures:

PASS is a client-centered, performance-based, criterion-referenced observational outcome measure that examines the patient’s and client’s ability to function safely and independently in the community. The tool assesses performance of functional mobility skills, basic activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), scoring each task on the task independence, safety, and adequacy using a four-point ordinal scale. There are two versions of the tool, Pass-Home and Pass-Clinic.

Conditions & Test Variations Included in this Summary:

PASS has been used for older adults and adults with various cognitive and physical health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, dementia, depression, cardiopulmonary conditions, macular degeneration, osteoarthritis, and cerebrovascular accident.^1,4 The subjective versions of PASS have been excluded such as PASS-Self Report, PASS-Proxy Report, and PASS-Clinical Judgement.

Taskforce Recommendations

This outcome measure is not recommended by clinical practice guidelines or professional associations. However, this instrument is used frequently in occupational therapy research literature.

Clinical Insights

PASS is a criterion-referenced test that could be used to assess an intervention program’s ability to improve ADL and IADL performance. Two versions of the test exist which allow the therapist to assess the client either at home or in the clinic. The test manual has clear details on how to score the instrument. The test scoring sheets outline the specific verbal instructions given to the client and arrangement of objects for the task.