Functional Cognition Index©: A New Instrument to Assess Cognitive Disability After Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Although traumatic brain injury (TBI) may result in global impairments, the resulting cognitive dysfunction is the most devastating and most limiting for both the patient and the family. There presently are many cognitive assessment instruments, but few are applicable to the wide spectrum of severity found in TBI. A new assessment in strument, the Functional Cognition Index (FCI) has been developed to assess residual functional cognition after TBI. Preliminary studies indicate that the FCI has high in terrater reliability and its validity is comparable to the Rancho Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Function. Its main advantage is that it is short and easy to administer with out great need for extensive training, as some instruments require. Although the FCI was designed as a clinical instrument, it has significant potential to be used in both clin ical and epidemiologic research. Its brevity and simplicity make it an ideal instrument for use by family members or survey researchers either in person or by telephone. The instrument also has sufficient sensitivity to reflect changes over a wide spectrum so that it may be helpful in program evaluation, monitoring medication effect, or measuring outcomes. Key Words: TBI—Functional assessment—Cognitive disability

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