Cross-cultural adaptation of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Koopmans, Linda^{a; b; e} | Bernaards, Claire M.^{a; b} | Hildebrandt, Vincent H.^{a; b} | Lerner, Debra^c | de Vet, Henrica C.W.^{a; d} | van der Beek, Allard J.^{a; e; *}

Affiliations: [a] Body@Work, Research Center for Physical Activity, Work and Health, TNO-VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | [b] Expertise Center Life Style, TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands | [c] The Program on Health, Work and Productivity, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA | [d] Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | [e] Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Allard J. van der Beek, Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 20 444 9649; E-mail: a.vanderbeek@vumc.nl.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:The Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ), measuring task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive work behavior, was developed in The Netherlands. OBJECTIVES:To cross-culturally adapt the IWPQ from the Dutch to the American-English language, and assess the questionnaire’s internal consistency and content validity in the American-English context. METHODS:A five stage translation and adaptation process was used: forward translation, synthesis, back-translation, expert committee review, and pilot-testing. During the pilot-testing, cognitive interviews with 40 American workers were performed, to examine the comprehensibility, applicability, and completeness of the American-English IWPQ. RESULTS:Questionnaire instructions were slightly modified to aid interpretation in the American-English language. Inconsistencies with verb tense were identified, and it was decided to consistently use simple past tense. The wording of five items was modified to better suit the American-English language. In general, participants were positive on the comprehensibility, applicability and completeness of the questionnaire during the pilot-testing phase. Furthermore, the study showed positive results concerning the internal consistency (Cronbach’s alphas for the scales between 0.79–0.89) and content validity of the American-English IWPQ. CONCLUSION:The results indicate that the cross-cultural adaptation of the American-English IWPQ was successful and that the measurement properties of the translated version are promising.

Keywords: Job performance, scale, psychometrics, translation, validation

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-152237

Journal: Work, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 609-619, 2016