Psychometric testing of the British English Workplace Activity Limitations Scale in four rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions

Hammond, A; Tennant, A; Ching, A; Parker, J; Prior, Y; Gignac, MAM; Verstappen, SMM; O'Brien, R

Abstract

Objectives: The aims were to validate a British English version of the Workplace Activity Limitations Scale (WALS) linguistically, then test this psychometrically in RA, axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), OA and FM.
Methods: The WALS was forward translated, reviewed by an expert panel, and cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted. Participants completed a postal questionnaire booklet. Construct (structural) validity was examined by fit to the Rasch measurement model. Concurrent validity included testing between the WALS and the Work Limitations Questionnaire-25 (WLQ-25). Two weeks later, participants were mailed a second questionnaire booklet for test–retest reliability.
Results: Minor wording changes were made to the WALS, then 831 employed participants completed questionnaires: 267 men and 564 women; 53.5 (S.D. 8.9) years of age; with condition duration 7.7 (S.D. 8.0) years. The WALS satisfied Rasch model requirements, and a WALS Rasch transformation table was created. Concurrent validity was strong with the WLQ-25 (RA rs¼0.78; axSpA rs¼0.83; OA rs¼0.63; FM rs¼0.64). Internal consistency was consistent with group use (a¼0.80–0.87). Test–retest reliability was excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficient (2,1) at _0.90.
Conclusion: A reliable, valid British English version of the WALS is now available for use in the UK.

Citation

Hammond, A., Tennant, A., Ching, A., Parker, J., Prior, Y., Gignac, M., …O'Brien, R. (2023). Psychometric testing of the British English Workplace Activity Limitations Scale in four rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions. Rheumatology Advances in Practice, 7(1), https://doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkad028

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 22, 2023
• Publication Date: Mar 10, 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 24, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 24, 2023
• Journal: Rheumatology Advances in Practice
• Print ISSN: 2514-1775
• Electronic ISSN: 2514-1775
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkad028
• Keywords: patient reported outcomes; work; work rehabilitation; arthritis; musculoskeletal; rehabilitation
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkad028