Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale

Purpose : Self-report measure of balance confidence in performing various activities without losing balance or experiencing a sense of unsteadiness.

Admin time :  10 min

User Friendly :  High

Administered by : self-administered or face-to-face

Content : 16 questions that require the patient to rate his/her confidence that he/she will not lose balance or become unsteady while performing the specified activities.

The ABC Scale provides a subjective measure of balance confidence. Scores are not based on clinician observation of performance. Clinicians should also consider factors such as self-esteem and insight when using the ABC Scale

Author : Powell LE, 1995.  Multiple later revisions.

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Copyright : 

Dr. Anita Myers is the primary developer and copyright holder of the ABC scale. email: amyers@uwaterloo.ca

The print version of the scale may be freely reproduced for student training, research and clinical practices in which therapists and assistants use the scale to assess fewer than 1000 patients per year.

In all other cases, including: translation into other languages than English, other modifications to the scale itself and/or instructions, use in clinical trials, for commercial or marketing purposes, or in larger scale practices (1,000+ patients per year) and electronic record keeping, permission must be obtained by the researcher or institution. There may be an associated cost.