The Psychometric Properties of the Original Version of Assessment of Time Management Skills (ATMS).
Afsaneh Roshanay, Gunnel Janeslätt, Kajsa Lidström-Holmqvist and 2 others
PMID 35197812WHAT IT FOUND
The 30-item Assessment of Time Management Skills does not measure a single trait in English-speaking adults.
It works best as three separate subscales for time management, organization and planning, and emotion regulation. Two items showed poor fit and may need rewording.
Key findings
01Analysis of the full 30-item scale indicated it likely measures more than one dimension, so it is less useful as a single total score.
02When split into three subscales (time management, organization and planning, and regulation of emotion), the instrument showed strong construct validity and reliability, though two items displayed misfit.
03Item 10 and Item 28 showed significant misfit in both English and Swedish versions, prompting recommendations for potential rewording to improve clarity and model fit.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was drawn from the general population, not specifically from individuals with cognitive disabilities or mental disorders, who are the target group for this assessment. This may affect how well the scale targets the ability levels of clinical populations. The study did not evaluate test-retest reliability or responsiveness to change in this specific English-language sample, relying instead on internal consistency and construct validity. Item 28 asks about wearing a watch or carrying a cell phone, which may be a dual question that confuses respondents who only use one of these tools, potentially skewing results for clients with limited access to technology.
Declared interests
The study used a quality-assured sampling service run by Market Tools' True Sample. Participants received $10 via Zoomerang. The authors declared no specific conflicts of interest regarding the instrument itself, noting the Swedish version was developed by their own research group.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the ATMS total score as a single measure of time management ability. The analysis showed the 30 items do not measure one single trait. Use the three separate subscale scores instead, and note that two specific items had poor fit and may need careful administration or interpretation.