Intérêts et limites de l'utilisation des tests quantitatifs d'évaluation fonctionnelle du membre supérieur de la personne paralysée cérébrale

This work presents the interest and the limits of the use of quantitative tests to assess upper limb function of cerebral-palsied patients, for a right and relevant evaluation on which depends the efficiency of the therapeutic intervention. After having defined what a quantitative test is, we detail the qualities required for these tools regarding psychometric properties (validity, reliability, sensitivity to change) but also with regard to the information they provide for the therapeutic orientation. Then we present the various tools validated for the functional evaluation of the upper limb, by putting them in connection with the ICF-domains and by distinguishing the evaluation of capacity (ULPRS, MA2, BBT, JTHFT) and the evaluation of performance (AHA, CHEQ, ABILHAND). We identify then the limits of the standardized tools, especially in case of quadriplegia, but also to assess the treatment impact on the achievement of a specific objective, and as a consequence, we evoke the Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) methodology to identify and define precise objectives and measure their achievement. This tool brings today a complementary approach to the standard quantitative tools of which we cannot however get out.