Assessment Overview

Purpose: Measure attention-related behaviors after TBI

Summary: There are 22 items and each item is scored on a scale from 1-5 with raw scores ranging from 22-110. The raw scores are then compiled together on the Center for Outcome Measures in Brain Injury (COMBI) website to generate a score from 0-100. Higher scores represent better attention. The test is meant to be performed as an observation over 2-3 days so that the score represents a general average of the level of attention

Equipment: None

ICF Category: Body structure and function

Assessment Handout

Assessment Psychometrics

There are no recommendations for use of the Moss Attention Rating Scale (MARS) with patients after a brain injury with an ambulatory status of completely independent, mildly dependent, moderately dependent, or severely dependent. The MARS is recommended for use in acute care settings and highly recommended for use in skilled nursing facilities. There is not evidence to recommend the use of the MARS in skilled nursing facilities, outpatient rehabilitation, or home health settings. The MARS was created for acute and inpatient rehabilitation settings but should not be used in patients who are in a vegetive or minimally conscious state. Students should learn to administer the MARS. The MARS is appropriate for use in research. Below are psychometrics for this test:

• Construct Validity:

  • Excellent to adequate correlations with sustained attention/restlessness (r=0.75), sustained attention/initiation (r=0.66), and initiation/restlessness (r=0.46)

  • Significantly associated with a composite FIM attention and cognitive score

• Criterion Validity: Predicts outcome at one year follow up

• Interrater Reliability: Excellent between OTs and PTs (r=0.64), Adequate to excellent for OTs, PTs, and SLPs

• Responsiveness: Scores tend to increase 9.9 on average during rehabilitation