Our position and why we choose the ACLS 5th edition, and do not use the ACLS 6th edition.

We are firm supporters of evidence-based practice, especially in the Australian healthcare and disability care settings where Occupational Therapist’s and allied health professionals continue to use the Allen Cognitive Disabilities Model and associated tools including the ACLS-5, LACLS-5 and Disposable LACLS -5in their day-to-day practice. For this reason, we continue to align ourselves with the Allen Cognitive Group in the USA, and provide training and support for implementing the Manual for Version 5 of the Allen Cognitive Level Screen- 2nd edition (Earhart, C. A., McCraith, D. B, & Riska-Williams, L. [2022]). We do not provide training for, nor support version 6 which is supported by the Allen App, which we believe has not yet been validated, or supported by a sufficient base of evidence to be implemented in practice.

A copy of the formal position on the ACLS-6 by the Allen Cognitive Group is included below for reference.

Position on the ACLS-6. Updated January 28, 2025

The Allen Cognitive Group/ACLS and LACLS Committee, a 501c3 not-for-profit charitable organization established in 2008 publishes the Manual for Version 5 of the Allen Cognitive Level Screen- 2nd edition (Earhart, C. A., McCraith, D. B, & Riska-Williams, L. [2022]), produces the associated assessment tools, and makes these assessment items available to practitioners around the world through our website, www.allencognitive.org, and our vendor partners. Three forms of Version 5 of the ACLS (ACLS-5, LACLS-5, and Disposable LACLS-5) are standardized, evidence-based screening assessments of functional cognition, and the scores from these assessments are interpreted within the Cognitive Disabilities Model (CDM) and the Allen Cognitive Scale of Levels and Modes of Performance (Allen Cognitive Scale), (Allen, 1985; Allen, Earhart, & Blue,1992; Allen, Blue, & Earhart, 1995; Allen & Blue,1998; McCraith, Austin, & Earhart, 2011; McCraith & Earhart, 2018; Earhart & McCraith, 2020; Earhart, et. al, 2022).

Interventions based on the CDM and related assessments are supported by 50 years of theory development, clinical expertise, and published research, as well as research being conducted or in the process of being published nationally and internationally. The national and international academic, clinical, and research OT community consider use of the three forms of the 5th version of the ACL Screen and the supporting theory and research to be “best practice.”

Our ongoing commitment to supporting best practice use of the CDM and related assessments includes:

• completing trademark status supporting continued standardization of the three forms of the ACLS tools (2020),

• completing an inter-rater reliability and form-equivalence reliability study for the three forms of the ACLS-5 (2021),

• publishing the Manual for Version 5 of the Allen Cognitive Level Screen-Second Edition including Disposable LACLS-5; updated theory, research, and terminology; clarification of administration and scoring procedures based on frequently asked questions of users of the first edition; and expanded resources such as case studies; and

• maintaining a website offering resources to support practitioners, educators, students, and researchers who use the CDM and related assessments.

Claudia Allen left the Allen Cognitive Group/ACLS and LACLS Committee in 2014. At the time of her passing in 2019, she was developing a for-profit, subscriber-only app based on a significant paradigm shift in CDM theory, assessment, and intervention.  It includes an assessment called the ACLS-6 which consists of a plastic form shaped like the LACLS tool, as well as additional activities. These items are currently available to subscribers only through the website ACDMweb.

The Allen Cognitive Group/ACLS and LACLS Committee neither endorses nor supports this endeavor at this time.  A more complete development of the new theoretical paradigm and the associated ACLS-6 assessment with supporting evidence is needed to meet professional standards for best practice.

Until this is accomplished, we will continue to honor Claudia Allen’s legacy and the work of other dedicated practitioners who have contributed to the development of the Cognitive Disabilities Model through the activities that support the ongoing mission of the Allen Cognitive Group/ACLS and LACLS Committee.

References

Allen, C. K. (1985). Occupational therapy for psychiatric diseases: Measurement and management of cognitive disabilities. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company. (Out of print, for used copies, check Amazon, eBay, or AbeBooks)

Allen, C. K., & Blue, T. (1998). Cognitive disabilities model: How to make clinical judgments. In N. Katz (Ed.), Cognition and occupation in rehabilitation: Cognitive models for intervention in occupational therapy (pp.225-280). American Occupational Therapy Association.

Allen, C. K., Blue, T., & Earhart, C. A. (1995). Understanding Cognitive Performance Modes. S&S Worldwide. (Currently out of print.  Request availability update at www.allencognitive.com/contact)

Allen, C. K., Earhart, C. A., & Blue, T. (1992). Occupational therapy treatment goals for the physically and cognitively disabled. American Occupational Therapy Association.

Allen, C. K., Austin, S. L., David, S. K., Earhart, C. A., McCraith, D. B., & Riska-Williams, L. (2007). Manual for the Allen Cognitive Level Screen-5 (ACLS-5) and Large Allen Cognitive Level Screen-5 (LACLS-5). ACLS and LACLS Committee.

Earhart, C. A., & McCraith, D. B (2020). Cognitive disabilities model: Allen Cognitive Level Screen–5 and Allen Diagnostic Module (2nd Edition) Assessments. In B. Hemphill and C. Urish (Eds.), Assessments in occupational therapy mental health: An integrative approach (4th ed., pp. 179-210). Slack, Inc.

Earhart, C. A., McCraith, D. B, & Riska-Williams, L. (2022) Manual for Version 5 of the Allen Cognitive Level Screen (2nd ed.).  ACLS and LACLS Committee/Allen Cognitive Group.

McCraith, D. B, Austin, S. L., & Earhart, C. A. (2011). The cognitive disabilities model in 2011. In N. Katz (Ed.), Cognition, occupation, and participation across the life span: Neuroscience, neurorehabilitation, and models of intervention in occupational therapy (3rd ed., pp. 383-406). AOTA Press.

McCraith, D. B, & Earhart, C. A. (2018). Cognitive Disabilities Model: Creating fit between functional cognitive abilities and cognitive activity demands. In N. Katz and J. Toglia (Eds.), Cognition, occupation, and participation across the life span: Neuroscience, neurorehabilitation, and models of intervention in occupational therapy (4th ed., pp. 469-497). AOTA Press.

McCraith, D. B, Riska-Williams, L., & Earhart, C. A. (2021).  Inter-rater Reliability and Form-Equivalence Reliability for the Three Forms of Version 5 of the ACL Screen. [Pre-publication]. ACLS and LACLS Committee. Request copy of study’s design and findings at www.allencognitive.com/contact.