RESEARCH ARTICLE Relationship of Cognitive and Perceptual Abilities to Functional Independence in Adults Who Have Had a Stroke Ted Brown 1 * † , Jennifer Mapleston 2 , Allison Nairn 3 & Andrew Molloy 1 1 Monash University Peninsula Campus, Department of Occupational Therapy, Frankston, Victoria, Australia 2 Kingston Centre Southern Health, Department of Occupational Therapy, Cheltenham, Victoria, Australia 3 Peninsula Health Department of Occupational Therapy, Frankston, Victoria, Australia Abstract Most individuals who have had a stroke present with some degree of residual cognitive and/or perceptual impairment. Occupational therapists often utilize standardized cognitive and perceptual assessments with clients to establish a baseline of skill performance as well as to inform goal setting and intervention planning. Being able to predict the functional independence of individuals who have had a stroke based on cognitive and perceptual impairments would assist with appropriate discharge planning and follow-up resource allocation. The study objective was to investigate the ability of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception – Adolescents and Adults (DTVP-A) and the Neurobehavioural Cognitive Status Exam (Cognistat) to predict the functional performance as measured by the Barthel Index of individuals who have had a stroke. Data was collected using the DTVP-A, Cognistat and the Barthal Index from 32 adults recovering from stroke. Two standard multiple regression models were used to determine predictive variables of the func- tional independence dependent variable. Both the Cognistat and DTVP-A had a statistically significant ability to predict functional performance (as measured by the Barthel Index) accounting for 64.4% and 27.9% of each regression model, respectively. Two Cognistat subscales (Comprehension [beta = 0.48; p < 0.001)] and Repetition [beta = 0.45; p < 0.004]) and one DTVP-A subscale (Copying [beta = 0.46; p < 0.014]) made statistically significant contributions to the regression models as independent variables. On the basis of the regression model findings, it appears that DTVP-A’s Copying and the Cognistat’s Comprehension and Repetition subscales are useful in predicting the functional independence (as measured by the Barthel Index) in those individuals who have had a stroke. Given the fundamental importance that cognition and perception has for one’s ability to function independently, further investigation is warranted to determine other predictors of functional performance of individuals with a stroke. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Received 7 October 2011; Revised 18 May 2012; Accepted 21 May 2012 Keywords stroke; function; assessment; Neurobehavioural Cognitive Status Exam (Cognistat); Developmental Test of Visual Perception – Adolescents and Adults (DTVP-A) *Correspondence Ted Brown, Monash University, Peninsula Campus, Department of Occupational Therapy, PO Box 527, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia. † Email: ted.brown@monash.edu Published online 18 June 2012 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/oti.1334 Introduction Cerebrovascular disease (stroke) is a major cause of disability in older age that can result in some form of residual disability including motor, cognitive, percep- tual and/or sensory impairments leading to functional disability (Srikanth et al., 2004). Cognitive and percep- tual impairments are a major hindrance to indepen- dent living after surviving a stroke (Kizony and Katz, 2002; Grieve and Gnanasekaran, 2008). Cognitive processes are generally defined as the abilities that enable us to think. Impairments in cognition may 11 Occup. Ther. Int. 20 (2013) 11–22 © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.