Action Research Arm Test (ARAT)
What It Measures
The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) is a hands-on test of arm and hand function. A therapist watches the person perform 19 short tasks: picking up blocks and balls of different sizes, pouring water between glasses, moving a marble with a pincer grip, and raising the hand to the head and mouth. Each task is scored 0 to 3, from no movement possible to normal performance, for a total of 0 to 57 per arm.
The 19 items sit in four subtests: grasp, grip, pinch, and gross movement. Each subtest starts with its hardest item, so a person who scores full marks on it skips the rest, which keeps testing short. Inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient hand therapy teams use the ARAT to document upper limb recovery over time.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
The ARAT requires a standardized materials kit, which is sold commercially through aratkits.com. The scale and its standardized administration protocol are published in the peer-reviewed literature (Lyle 1981; Yozbatiran, Der-Yeghiaian & Cramer, 2008).
