Validity and Reliability of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) in a U.S. Sample of Adults With Type 1 Diabetes.

Abstract

Although occupational balance (OB) is a construct of importance to occupational therapy, existing OB assessments have not been validated in clinical populations. To examine the validity and reliability of the 11-item version of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) in U.S. adults with Type 1 diabetes. Data were analyzed from adults with Type 1 diabetes enrolled in a larger longitudinal study examining the relationships among blood glucose, emotion, and functioning. Dimensionality of the OBQ11 was assessed with item response theory (IRT); convergent validity was tested by examining whether associations between the OBQ11 and other constructs were consistent with a priori hypotheses. Three outpatient clinical sites in the United States. Data from 208 U.S. adults with Type 1 diabetes were included in the analyses (42% Latino, 29% White, 14% African American, 7% multiethnic, and 8% other). Assessments administered include the OBQ11, Patient Health Questionnaire (depression), and Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire. Overall, results from IRT models and correlational tests supported the reliability and validity of the OBQ11. For instance, higher scores on the OBQ11 were significantly associated with better self-ratings of diabetes management behaviors (r = .28, p < .001), lower depression symptoms (r = -.53, p < .001), and greater positive affect (r = .32, p < .001). A single-factor generalized partial credit model fit the OBQ11 acceptably well, supporting its unidimensionality. The OBQ11 may be a reliable and valid measure of OB appropriate for use in clinical populations such as adults with diabetes. What This Article Adds: OB is not often formally assessed by occupational therapists in the United States, even though the contributions of OB to health and well-being are core components of the philosophy of occupational therapy. The current evidence supports the validity of the OBQ11 in a clinical population of adults with Type 1 diabetes and demonstrates significant associations between OB and health management behaviors. Study results may encourage greater consideration and assessment of OB in occupational therapy clinical practice in the United States.