Functional Independence Measure (FIM)

This chapter is a comprehensive reference manual providing information on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), which is a clinician rating scale, described as a measure of functional disability, designed to measure “burden of care”. The FIM was developed in the 1980s in response to political and health care financing policies in the USA. Limited published data on the measurement characteristics of the FIM were available when it was first introduced, but many psychometric studies were published in the subsequent decade. The FIM is used extensively, both for clinical and research purposes. A brief history of the instrument's development is provided, along with a description of item content and administration/scoring procedures. Psychometric properties are reviewed and a critical commentary is provided. Key references are cited and in most cases the actual scale is included, giving the reader easy access to the instrument.