A recent study concludes that the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Fredericton, Canada, Test of Prosthetic Function has acceptable reliability and preliminary evidence of validity for adults. The test was developed for children, and no prior studies have examined its use with adults. The results were published online in the Journal of Hand Therapy.
The UNB was administered to 51 subjects, 45 of whom completed it twice within one week. Internal consistency was examined, and test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability were estimated. Analysis of variances (ANOVAs) compared scores by prosthetic use. Correlations between UNB scales, two dexterity tests (the modified Box and Block test and the modified Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test), and the self-reported Upper Extremity Functional Scale (UEFS) were examined. There were no differences in scores by prosthetic experience. UNB correlations with dexterity measures were moderate, and correlations with UEFS were weak for spontaneity and nonsignificant for skill.
