Affiliations: Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of
Health Professions, Institute for Occupational Therapy, Switzerland | Department of Rheumatology and Institute of Physical
Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland | AEH, Centre of Occupational Health, Zurich,
Switzerland | University College Sjaelland, Division of Occupational
Therapy, Naestved, Denmark
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Bianca Köller Looser, Zurich
University of Applied Sciences, School of Health Professions, Institute for
Occupational Therapy, Technikumstrasse 71, Postfach, CH-8401 Winterthur,
Switzerland. Tel.: +41 58 934 64 42; E-mail: bianca.koeller@zhaw.ch
Abstract: Objective: Occupational therapists play an important role in work
rehabilitation in getting people with chronic disabilities back to work. The
Worker Role Interview (WRI) is intended to detect psychosocial and
environmental factors influencing the ability to return to work for injured or
disabled workers. This study examined the psychometric properties of the
recently modified German version (WRI-G, 10.0) in a population with
work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in Switzerland. Methods: Data were gathered from 20 participants with work-related
MSD. The interviews were conducted face-to-face and videotaped. Five
occupational therapists, trained in the use of the WRI-G, independently rated
all 20 interview recordings following the official manual. Thus, 100 ratings
were analysed by use of Rasch analysis to test construct validity and transform
ordinal raw data into linear data (person locations) for interrater-reliability
calculations. Results: All items fit the Rasch model, except the item 'perception
of boss'. The final WRI-G, consisting of 15~items, showed good overall model
fit (X^{2} = 54.66, p= 0.04); excellent person-separation
reliability (PSI 0.91) and high inter-rater reliability (mean ICC 0.90). Conclusions: Based on this sample, the WRI-G (10.0) is a valid and
reliable instrument to assess psychosocial ability for return to work in a
population with work-related MSD.
Keywords: Work rehabilitation, musculoskeletal disorders, assessment, model of human occupation, rasch analysis
