A behavioral approach to RTW after sickness absence: The
development of instruments for the assessment of motivational determinants,
motivation and key actors' attitudes
Affiliations: Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Angelique de Rijk, PhD, Maastricht
University, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Dept. of Social
Medicine, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 43
3881475; Fax: +31 433881560; E-mail: f.nijhuis@beoz.unimaas.nl
Abstract: Introduction: On the basis of a motivational framework for return to
work (RTW) after sickness absence, scales were developed to measure absentee
attitudes towards RTW, perceived social norm with respect to RTW, RTW
self-efficacy, RTW motivation, and the RTW attitudes of six types of key
actors. Methods: Both theory and 33 in-depth interviews with sickness
absentees and occupational physicians produced 95 items. A sample of 119
absentees who had reported sick for more than one month completed these items.
Absentees varied with respect to gender, age, educational level, and work
sector. Results: Factor analyses and reliability analyses yielded
seventeen scales with sufficient reliability (Cronbach's α:
0.60–0.86). Conclusions: The new scales appear to be valid and promising
for future research on RTW. Validation in larger samples is necessary and the
predictive validity should to be tested.
Keywords: Return-to-work, motivation, attitude, self-efficacy, social norm, measures
