Content Analysis of Assessment Tools Used in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review with Linkage to the International Classification of Functioning

Stroke rehabilitation requires comprehensive assessments aligned with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) biopsychosocial model. Linking assessment tools to the ICF helps integrate this approach by identifying aspects of functioning they address. This study aimed to analyze the content of the most used assessment tools for post-stroke rehabilitation through systematic linkage with the ICF. A scoping review was conducted, including (1) the identification of clinical trials on post-stroke rehabilitation published between 2014 and 2024 in the PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, and PEDro databases to select the most commonly used assessment tools, followed by (2) the ICF linkage methodology to map the most cited tools to the content of ICF categories and domains. From the 897 studies reviewed, 29 tools were identified—21 were newly linked and 8 had pre-existing ICF links. The analysis identified 261 ICF categories: 53% related to Activities, 31% to Body Functions, 15% to Participation, and 1% to Environmental Factors. No tool covered the Body Structure domain. The findings highlight a focus on Activities and Body Functions, reinforcing the need to integrate Participation and Environmental Factors into post-stroke rehabilitation assessments. The results offer an overview of ICF categories covered by each tool, supporting informed decisions in rehabilitation research and practice.