The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of performance
predictions in experimental tasks with patients' awareness of
activity limitations. Participants were 24 patients with brain injuries
(i.e., traumatic brain injury and cerebrovascular disorders) and 22
patients with orthopedic disorders. Prediction of performance was
examined in a memory task (word list learning) and a motor task (finger
tapping). Awareness of activity limitations was measured by comparing
patients' self-ratings and staff ratings in the Patient Competency
Rating Scale (PCRS). Results for the PCRS showed that patients with
orthopedic disorders underestimated and patients with brain injuries
(i.e., patients with TBI) overestimated their level of functioning in
the total scale and the social/emotional subscale in
comparison to staff ratings. Both patient groups agreed with staff
ratings in physical/basic self-care items. In the
predicted performance tasks a similar pattern could be observed: None
of the groups showed an overestimation of performance in the motor
task, whereas patients with brain injuries overestimated their
competency in the memory task. However, the agreement between both
awareness measures (PCRS, predicted performance) was only low, which
indicates that they might measure different aspects or levels of
self-awareness. (JINS, 2004, 10, 190–199.)