“Skills in Action” Assessment
Traditional assessment tools do not do a very good job assessing how a person with brain
injury will respond to compensatory skills training. Nor do they do a very good job
predicting outcome.
Traditional neuropsychological assessment batteries measure brain function “in the raw.”
Conclusions drawn from such testing may not serve the best interests of persons with brain
injury because a person’s potential is measured one way when “raw scores” are used and another
way when “skills in action” are included.
Like the BRAIN BOOK® System itself, the
“Skills in Action” assessment battery was developed to fill a void. Efforts were made to find a
commercially available, normed, standardized assessment tool that appropriately evaluated a
brain-injured person’s ability to learn compensatory strategies. None existed.
With the help of BRAIN BOOK® System’s
consulting psychologist, Michael O’Connell, Ph.D. (Rogue Valley Psychological Associates), a
mix of improved assessment tools were configured. They include standardized neuropsycholgical
assessments, functional ADL assessments and BRAIN BOOK®
System’s “Skills in Action” Assessment.
When all the recommended components are used, BRAIN BOOK®
System is able to offer a refreshingly useful evaluation to families, third-party funding agencies,
consulting physicians, vocational counselors and others who work with persons with brain
injury who they think may be an appropriate candidates for BRAIN BOOK®
System’s program.
MicroCog Assessment of Cognitive Functioning
ILS (Independent Living Scales)
"Skills in Action" Assessment
The “Skills in Action” assessment addresses the following specific areas:
The “Skills in Action” Assessment was used extensively in the successful Nebraska Vocational
Rehabilitation Pilot.
Review of Medical Records
The entire evaluation process is supervised by Dr. Michael O’Connell, BRAIN BOOK®
System's consulting psychologist. Dr. O’Connell has worked with BRAIN BOOK®
System students since 1992 and supports its use in situations where individuals with
brain injury can be expected to use it successfully. Together with BRAIN BOOK®
System staff, a report is produced that identifies the candidate’s strengths and
weaknesses, in the context of compensatory skills training. The report outlines the
functional areas expected to require attention, and includes a schedule and
time-frame for completion of the program.
In vocational rehabilitation situations, the client’s vocational plan is an integral part of
the evaluation process. With the vocational plan as the benchmark, BRAIN BOOK®
System will provide a realistic time-line and budget the client can be expected to follow to
achieve their vocational goals.
Kathy Moeller, Founder, BRAIN BOOK® System
Keri Bennett, Vocational Rehabilitation,
Michael O'Connell, Ph.D., Rogue Valley Psychological Associates
Recommended Components
This is a normed, standardized neuropsychological assessment that is administered via
computer. It provides a baseline for assessing inherent abilities related to memory,
organization and other cognitive functions. Although it does little to predict functional
potential, it is useful for establishing a baseline.
This is a normed, standardized functional assessment that provides a baseline for various
activities of daily living (related to money, self-care in the home, health and safety,
transportation and social adjustment.)
This is a battery of five assessments designed to measure a person’s willingness and ability to
use compensatory skills. While it is not normed or standardized, it is considered to have so
much face validity that it does not need to be normed. Those who have used it in the vocational setting report that it is a
highly useful tool.
insight (self-awareness) about deficits and strengths
ability to follow instructions for completing a task, when coached to write Memory Notes
willingness and ability to write, find and use “Memory Notes”
ability to communicate with others to get needs met
ability to brainstorm options, when coached to use visual cues
A review of medical history and records completes the assessment battery. The ideal scenario
is that BRAIN BOOK® System would review a
person’s medical records in conjunction with results of the standardized assessments and the
“Skills in Action” assessment (training is available for administration of the “Skills in
Action” assessment).
For more information on the “Skills in Action” assessment, contact:
Medford, Oregon
e-mail: KathyM@brainbook.com
Kearney, Nebraska
e-mail: k_bennett@vocrehab.state.ne.us
e-mail: rvpa@cdsnet.net
