RESUMO
The Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT) is a standardized assessment that has been used as a clinical outcome measure. To appropriately interpret the effects of an intervention on hand function (as measured by the JHFT), the extent to which this instrument shows significant practice effects must be quantified. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the JHFT is susceptible to within-session practice effects. The results showed that the dominant and nondominant hands significantly improved on the JHFT and many of its subtests over six consecutive trials. Although practice effects might complicate the interpretation of change due to intervention, we briefly relate our findings to emerging neuropsychological evidence that practice effects may indicate a person's motor learning potential or treatment responsiveness.
RESUMO
Although many daily activities that require the upper extremity are performed in standing, arm motor function is generally measured in sitting. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of standing on a measure of upper extremity function, the Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT). Twelve nondisabled adults (26.3 ± 3.1 years) completed the JHFT with the right and left arms under two conditions: sitting and standing. Total time to complete the JHFT increased when performed in standing compared with sitting in both arms (p = .005); mean increase was 4.4% and 5.6% for the right and left arms, respectively. Checker stacking was the only subtest that showed a significant increase in completion time in standing for both arms (p = .001); card turning showed an increase for the left arm only (p = .002). Measurement of upper extremity function in standing may provide insight into arm motor capacity within the context of standing postural control demands.