The Canadian occupational performance measure for patients with stroke: a systematic review.
Shang-Yu Yang, Chung-Ying Lin, Ya-Chen Lee and 1 others
PMID 28356652WHAT IT FOUND
The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) shows good reliability in stroke patients but correlates poorly with standard assessments.
It captures unique patient goals but requires adequate communication skills, so use it alongside other measures, not alone.
Key findings
01Test-retest reliability for the COPM in stroke patients was high (r=0.89 for performance, r=0.88 for satisfaction).
02The COPM showed weak associations with standard assessments like the Barthel Index and Frenchay Activities Index, indicating it measures a different, patient-centered aspect of recovery.
03The COPM is not suitable for patients with stroke who exhibit cognitive deficits, and the goals set during the interview may not be achievable.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only three studies met the inclusion criteria for psychometric properties, limiting the strength of the evidence on reliability and validity. The review only included studies published in English, potentially missing relevant data from non-English speaking countries. The search strategy was limited to terms associated with psychometric properties and RCTs, which may have excluded other relevant study designs. The COPM relies on patient self-report, which can be affected by cognitive deficits or language barriers, common in stroke populations.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the COPM measures the same things as standard assessments like the Barthel Index. The weak correlation means it captures a different aspect of recovery: the patient's own perception of their performance and satisfaction. Using it alone may miss significant functional impairments that standard tools detect.