ABSTRACT
This chapter is a comprehensive reference manual providing information on the Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS), which was one of the first rating scales developed to assess self-awareness in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). It uses the method of comparing self-ratings with a relative’s report, which “provides one avenue for determining how realistic a patient is in evaluating his/her higher behavioral strengths and limitations”. The PCRS has been used mainly with people with stroke and TBI. 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.
