Test-retest reliability of the assessment of time management skills (ATMS-S) in adults with neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

Background Time-management skills are essential in handling daily life, and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders often have difficulty with these skills. Therefore, interventions targeting such skills are common in occupational therapy. The Assessment of Time-Management Skills (ATMS) is a self-rated instrument for measuring time-management skills. Aim This study aims to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the Swedish version of the ATMS (ATMS-S). Materials and methods A total of 33 participants with neurodevelopmental disorders and difficulty with time management completed the test twice, approximately 1 week apart. The test-retest reliability for the three subscales in the ATMS-S was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients. The smallest detectable change was calculated to determine the precision of individual ATMS units. Results and conclusion The results showed overall moderate to good stability for the measures. The intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.79 (time management), 0.82 (organization and planning), and 0.50 (regulation of emotions) for the three subscales, and the smallest detectable changes were 9.5, 6.9, and 15.7 ATMS units for the respective subscales. These results suggest that the ATMS-S is a sufficiently stable tool for measuring time management and organization and planning skills in adults with neurodevelopmental disorders, but may be less reliable for measuring emotional regulation.