Kitchen Task Assessment 

Overview

Authors: Baum, C. & Edwards, D.F.

Year of Publication: 1993

Publisher: Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine 

Type of Assessments: 

• Standardized

• Performance-based

• Criterion-referenced

• Observation-based

Cost: Free (materials can cost money)

How to Access: https://clinicalportfolio.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/kitchen-task-assessment-score-sheet.pdf 

Age: Adults 

Diagnoses: Senile Dementia, Alzheimer's, conditions facing cognitive deficits 

Setting: inpatient, outpatient, home health, community-based, transition programs

Areas Assessed:

• Initiation

• Organization

• Performing All Steps

• Proper Sequence

• Judgment and Safety,

• Completion

Administration 

Time: 15-20 mins

Group/Individual: Individual 

Subtests: N/A

Instructions: Qualifying pretest of washing hands precedes assessment to determine minimum ability level. 

• Client is instructed and observed while making cooked pudding from a mix. 

• Administrator provides assistance necessary for successful experience.

• Performance on subtests provides clinical information and strategies useful to caregiver

Materials: 

• scoring sheet

• kitchen counter

• pudding mix

• saucepan

• kitchen utensils

• dishes

• soap

• paper towels

• stove

• refrigerator

• sink

User Qualifications: N/A

Scoring Procedures

How to Score: Scores are based on the level of independence the client has when completing the assigned task. 

• 0 = independent

• 1 = verbal assistance)

• 2 = physical assistance

• 3 = totally incapable 

Total score ranges from 0 to 18

Score Indications:

• Higher scores indicate impaired performance. 

Psychometrics 

Reliability: 

• Internal consistency: Cronbach's = .961

• Interrater: .853 (total score) and .632 (category scores)

Validity: 

• Construct: Strong between MMSE & ACLS

• Concurrent: Moderate to Strong - r = .60-.80 w/ MMSE, EFPT, & ACLS

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Pros & Cons

Strengths: 

• Functionally relevant to adults and outlook on IADL management 

• Simple scoring system

• The comment section allows for more subjective responses to the client's performance is helpful to pair with numerical data

• Assesses each component independently and overall completion to determine which parts of the process may be particularly impaired

• Inexpensive & easy administration

Weaknesses:

• The task can be super complex and demanding for those with severe cognitive impairments

• Requires access to a kitchen and cooking space

• Limited psychometric research available

• Asher, I. E. (2014). Asher’s occupational therapy assessment tools: An annotated index (4th ed.). AOTA Press.

• Baum, C. & Edwards, D.F. (1993). Cognitive performance in senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type: The kitchen task assessment. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 47(5), 431-436. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.47.5.431