The Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale, often called the ABC Scale, is a 16-item patient-reported outcome measure used to assess how confident a person feels while performing everyday activities without losing balance or becoming unsteady.
Complete the form below to download the redesigned ABC Scale PDF:
Looking for an online version?
Our design team has made improvements to the visual design of the standard questionnaire and we are providing this free of charge. View the online Activities-specific Balance Confidence Calculator which will calculate the score automagically for you.
Why use the ABC Scale?
Originally developed by Powell and Myers in 1995, the ABC Scale was designed to evaluate balance confidence across a range of functional activities, from basic household tasks to more challenging community mobility situations. It is commonly used in vestibular rehabilitation, neurologic rehabilitation, geriatrics, fall-risk assessment, and general balance care.
The ABC Scale helps clinicians understand how a patient perceives their own balance confidence during real-world activities. This can provide useful context beyond objective balance testing alone.
The scale may be helpful when evaluating patients with dizziness, imbalance, vestibular disorders, neurologic conditions, fall history, mobility limitations, or fear of falling. It can also be used to track change over time during rehabilitation.
Each item is scored from 0% to 100%, where 0% means no confidence and 100% means complete confidence. The total score is calculated by averaging the completed item scores, giving the clinician an overall percentage of balance confidence.
Common clinical uses
Clinicians may use the ABC Scale to:
- Assess perceived balance confidence
- Identify activities that feel unsafe or difficult
- Support fall-risk screening and care planning
- Guide vestibular or balance rehabilitation goals
- Measure patient-reported change over time
- Document functional progress during treatment
About this redesigned PDF
This version keeps the clinical intent of the ABC Scale while making the form easier to read, complete, and score. The layout is designed for practical clinical use, whether you are using it during an initial evaluation, follow-up visit, or home exercise planning discussion.
The redesigned PDF includes:
- A clean, clinician-friendly layout
- Clear scoring instructions
- Readable item formatting
- A simplified score calculation area
- Space for patient and visit information