Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)

SCREENS FOR: Cognitive or physical difficulties affecting functional performance.

AGE GROUP: 2–99

LENGTH OF TIME TO ADMINISTER: Varies according to task chosen.

PUBLISHED: 2011

AUTHOR: Anne G. Fisher

Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) is a standardised functional assessment whereby a number of different functional assessments can be conducted over a period of time. These assessments can vary in terms of content and complexity, but the AMPS software will analyse the scorings and place the outcomes of each assessment on the same scale. This provides the reader with a clear picture of progression, plateau or deterioration. An AMPS score can only be generated after two activities have been observed, but the scores can be a useful indictor as to the recommended type of intervention required. They have also proven to be a reliable indicator for the need for support or care.

The process score provided by AMPS looks at quality of performance—effort, efficiency, safety and level of assistance required. The scores are clear and explicit in their ranking and are based solely on the observed assessment, not what might happen in the future.

The client’s ability to live in the community is also rated, based on everything the therapist knows about the client (not just what has been observed during assessment).