Predictors of assistive technology use: The importance of personal and psychosocial factors

Abstract

Objective. To validate an assistive technology (AT) baseline and outcomes measure and to quantify the measure's value in determining the best match of consumer and AT considering consumer ratings of their subjective quality of life, mood, support from others, motivation for AT use, program/therapist reliance, and self-determination/self-esteem.Design. Prospective multi-cohort study.Setting. Vocational rehabilitation offices and community.Participants. Over 150 vocational rehabilitation counselors in 25 U.S. states with one consumer each receiving new AT.Interventions. Counselor training in the Matching Person and Technology (MPT) Model and consumer completion of the MPT measure, Assistive Technology Device Predisposition Assessment (ATD PA).Main outcome measures. Total and subscale scores on the ATD PA as well as counselor-completed questionnaires.Results. ATD PA items differentiated consumer predispositions to AT use as well as AT and user match. There were no significant differences due to gender, physical locality, or age within this sample of working-age adult consumers. Vocational rehabilitation counselors exposed to training in the MPT Model achieved enhanced AT service delivery outcomes.Conclusions. The ATD PA is a valid measure of predisposition to use an AT and the subsequent match of AT and user. Rehabilitation practitioners who use the ATD PA will achieve evidence-based practice and can expect to see enhanced AT service delivery outcomes.