A comparison of two assessments of levels of functioning in clients with intellectual disability between occupational therapists and nursing staff within a long-term mental healthcare facility in South Africa.

All data came from existing hospital records, so the study could not check missing information or measure things not already recorded. IQ scores were not recorded on the database, so intellectual disability severity could not be compared formally with occupational performance. The Creative Participation Assessment had not been validated in people with intellectual disability, although it had been used in other mental healthcare populations. The study was done in one long-stay hospital in South Africa, so the client profile may not apply elsewhere. No intervention was tested, so the study does not show that using these assessments improves care or outcomes.

Do not read the strong correlation as proof that the Fairview scale can replace the Creative Participation Assessment or that these assessments improve care. The study was retrospective, used one hospital, did not record IQ scores, and did not test any intervention.