Elizabeth E Marfeo1, Christine McDonough, Pengsheng Ni, Kara Peterik, Julia Porcino, Mark Meterko, Elizabeth Rasch, Lewis Kazis, Leighton Chan. 1. Department of Occupational Therapy, Tufts University, Medford, MA (Dr Marfeo); Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (Dr McDonough); Department of Health Law Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA (Dr Ni, Ms Peterik, Mr Kazis); National Institutes of Health Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Bethesda, MD (Ms Porcino, Dr Rasch, Dr Chan); Veterans Health Administration Office of Reporting, Analytics, Performance, Improvement and Deployment (RAPID), Boston MA (Dr Meterko).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To further improve measurement of work-related physical and mental health by updating the Work Disability Assessment Battery (WD-FAB). METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 1024 disability claimants and 1000 working age (21 to 66 years) adults in the United States. Developed new items to replenish the WD-FAB and analyzed using factor analysis and item response theory (IRT). Computer adaptive testing (CAT) simulations evaluated the psychometric properties of the original versus updated WD-FAB. RESULTS: Analyses confirmed the structure of the WD-FAB. Twenty-three new items were added (basic mobility: 7, upper body function: 4, fine motor: 6, self-regulation: 1, resilience & sociability: 5 items). CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the WD-FAB as a robust, psychometrically sound assessment of work-related function. Extensive content coverage (331 items) represents eight physical and mental health domains. IRT/CAT methods allow administration in under 15 minutes. The WD-FAB may prove valuable for efficiently characterizing work-related function across work rehabilitation settings.
OBJECTIVE: To further improve measurement of work-related physical and mental health by updating the Work Disability Assessment Battery (WD-FAB). METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 1024 disability claimants and 1000 working age (21 to 66 years) adults in the United States. Developed new items to replenish the WD-FAB and analyzed using factor analysis and item response theory (IRT). Computer adaptive testing (CAT) simulations evaluated the psychometric properties of the original versus updated WD-FAB. RESULTS: Analyses confirmed the structure of the WD-FAB. Twenty-three new items were added (basic mobility: 7, upper body function: 4, fine motor: 6, self-regulation: 1, resilience & sociability: 5 items). CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the WD-FAB as a robust, psychometrically sound assessment of work-related function. Extensive content coverage (331 items) represents eight physical and mental health domains. IRT/CAT methods allow administration in under 15 minutes. The WD-FAB may prove valuable for efficiently characterizing work-related function across work rehabilitation settings.
Authors: Regina Kunz; David Y von Allmen; Renato Marelli; Ulrike Hoffmann-Richter; Joerg Jeger; Ralph Mager; Etienne Colomb; Heinz J Schaad; Monica Bachmann; Nicole Vogel; Jason W Busse; Martin Eichhorn; Oskar Bänziger; Thomas Zumbrunn; Wout E L de Boer; Katrin Fischer Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2019-07-03 Impact factor: 3.630