Question
What are the key constructs related to fear of falling in clinical practice?
Answer
The key constructs related to fear of falling include balance confidence, fall efficacy, and fear of falling itself. Balance confidence refers to an individual's belief in their ability to maintain steadiness during specific activities, such as reaching for an object on a high shelf. It is measured through scales like Likert or percentage ratings. Fall efficacy, or fall self-efficacy, assesses the perceived ability to perform tasks without falling, shifting focus to whether a person believes they can complete activities like walking to the mailbox without a fall occurring. Lastly, fear of falling gauges a person’s general anxiety or concern about the potential of falling, which can be measured broadly or through specific situations. Each of these constructs is distinct and must be clearly defined to guide clinical reasoning effectively.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Fear of Falling and Avoidance Behavior: Impact on Occupational Performance, presented by John V. Rider, PhD, MS, OTR/L, BCPR, MSCS, ATP.
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