Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT)

Administration

• Clinician-administered; performance-based measure
• Weighted and non-weighted hand function is assessed through: writing; turning over 3 by 5 inch cards; picking up small common objects; simulated feeding; stacking checkers; picking up large objects; and picking up large heavy objects. Time to complete each task is recorded.
• Patients are required to perform all of the subtests with both the right and left hands, with the non-dominant hand tested first.
• Administration of this test takes approximately 45 minutes.

Number of Items

7

Equipment

• Stopwatch, chair (18” seat height), desk/table (30” high), four sheets of unruled white paper, clipboard, sentences typed in all capital letters and centered on a 5×8” index card on a bookstand, 5 index cards (ruled on one side only), empty 1 pound coffee can, 2 paper clips, 2 regular sized bottle caps, 2 U.S. pennies, 5 kidney beans (~5/8” long), 1 regular teaspoon, wooden board (41 ½” long, 11 ¼” wide, ¾” thick), “C” clamp, plywood (20” long, 2” wide, ½” thick) glued to the board, 4 standard size (1 ¼” diameter) red wooden checkers, 5 No. 303 cans.

(see Jebsen 1969 for details)

Scoring

Record the time necessary to complete each subtest (rounded the nearest second).

Languages

English and Portuguese.

Training Required

Does not require advanced training.

Availability

Can be found here.

The file above contains the administration details with verbal instructions for each task, the scoring instructions and a ready-to-use worksheet for data collection.