Work-related Functioning Research Articles

Sleep quality and physical fitness as modifiable contributors of fatigue in childhood cancer survivors.

Advances in cancer treatment have increased childhood cancer patient's survival rates. However, many childhood cancer survivors (CCS) face long-term effects such as fatigue. This study assessed fatigue in CCS and healthy controls (HCs), its contributors, and associated outcomes. This cross-sectional study included 90 CCS and 55 age and sex-matched HCs. Fatigue was measured using the Pediatric Quality of Life Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and modifiable contributors included sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and physical fitness (VO2 peak during a treadmill test). Quality of life (QoL) and emotional and cognitive functioning were evaluated using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory II, Cognitive Failure Questionnaire, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. Stepwise linear regressions identified predictors of general, sleep/rest, cognitive, and total fatigue. General, cognitive, and total fatigue were significantly higher in CCS compared to HCs (44.7% vs. 23%, p < .001; cognitive: 64.7% vs. 29.3%, p < .001; total fatigue: 56.5% vs. 25%, p < .001). Sex, PSQI, PSQI × sex, and PSQI × VO₂ were significant predictors for general fatigue, PSQI and PSQI × VO₂ for cognitive fatigue, and PSQI for sleep/rest and total fatigue. Cognitive and total fatigue correlated most strongly with cognitive and work-related functioning, whereas general and sleep/rest fatigue were more related to psychosocial functioning. Fatigue is highly prevalent among CCS, with distinct factors influencing general, sleep/rest, cognitive, and total fatigue. Female survivors, those with poorer sleep quality and lower physical fitness, are at risk. This study underscores the need for tailored interventions for each type of fatigue. Improving sleep quality, physical fitness, and psychological well-being may contribute to reducing fatigue and enhancing overall quality of life in CCS.

Reliability and Construct Validity of the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire Domains in Patients with Persistent Low Back Pain.

The Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ) assesses patient functioning, including psychological, physical, and cognitive limitations. This study evaluates the WORQ domains in individuals with persistent low back pain (LBP), focusing on reliability and construct validity. Individuals aged 18-65 with LBP completed WORQ and the workability index single item. A subgroup undertook sit-to-stand and 6-min walking tests and re-evaluated WORQ after 14days. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency (McDonald's omega and Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability, and smallest detectable change. Construct validity was analyzed via Spearman's rank correlation and known group validity, with physical functioning also examined against sit-to-stand and 6-min walk test results for sensitivity/specificity. Floor and ceiling effects were assessed through classical and scale width methods. Of 425 participants, 149 completed physical tests, and 102 re-assessed WORQ. McDonald's omega and Cronbach's alpha indicated high internal consistency (0.92-0.96) with strong test-retest reliability (intraclass-correlation coefficients: 0.74-0.82). The smallest detectable change ranged from 4.62 to 7.82. Predictions from 7 out of 8 hypotheses were confirmed. Notable differences in domain scores were observed based on disability level and sick leave status, with varied diagnostic performance in physical functioning items. Potential floor effects were noted using the scale width method. The WORQ demonstrated good reliability and satisfactory validity in assessing work-related functioning in individuals with persistent LBP. These findings support its use as a comprehensive tool for evaluating psychological, physical, and cognitive limitations. However, varied diagnostic performance in physical functioning items and potential floor effects suggest cautious interpretation in diverse clinical settings.

Translation, cross cultural adaptation, and validation of Arabic version of Interview administered version of Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ).

Accurate assessment tools for work rehabilitation are essential in healthcare settings. Adapting the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ) to Arabic-speaking populations ensures effective evaluation and intervention for individuals with work-related disabilities. To execute a cross-cultural adaptation of interview-administered version Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire -Arabic (WORQ-A) and assess the psychometric properties of WORQ-A in patients with musculoskeletal problems. WORQ is mainly intended to assess the work functioning of persons who are involved in vocational rehabilitation. Psychometric properties were scrutinized in the outpatient rehabilitation center. Test-retest reliability was examined with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha. The usability of WORQ-A was established in 46 patients with musculoskeletal problems. WORQ-A exhibited exceptional internal consistency (0.93) and a great test-retest reliability (0.87). Regarding usability, the ability to understand the questions and answer choices was established as good. Five percent of the participants encountered minor difficulties with certain words, while the majority found it quite straightforward to choose the correct answers. The WORQ-A is an effective, consistent, and very easy to administer questionnaire to assess the work-related functions assumed in our study context and the individualities of the sample.

Assessing the Curvilinear Relationship in Employee Digital Performance: A Task-Technology Fit Perspective

In the context of the digital economy, one of the most important issues facing business managers is that of how to improve employee digital performance (EDP), however, extant studies exploring this problem are quite limited. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the characteristics of task and technology represented by enterprise social media (ESM) affect task-technology fit (TTF), which in turn affects EDP. Using TTF theory, this paper proposes a research model to validate the research question. An ordinary least squares method is used to analyze 284 questionnaire responses drawn from 33 provinces in China. The results indicate that task complexity has an inverted U-shaped effect on TTF, whereas task interdependence has no effect on TTF. Work-related function of ESM has a U-shaped effect on TTF, while social-related function of ESM has a positive effect on TTF. TTF positively influences both employee digital-enabled task performance and employee digital-enabled innovative performance. Employee digital literacy strengthens the impact of TTF on employee digital-enabled task performance, but does not moderate the relationship between TTF and employee digital-enabled innovative performance. Organizational digital culture strengthens the impacts of TTF on both employee digital-enabled task performance and employee digital-enabled innovative performance. From a theoretical perspective, this paper makes a contribution to TTF theory by revealing the curvilinear relationship between the characteristics of task, the characteristics of ESM technology and TTF. This paper also contributes to the EDP literature by clarifying how TTF affects EDP, and by identifying the boundary conditions (namely employee digital literacy and organizational digital culture) between TTF and EDP. From a practical point of view, this paper provides managers with the insights to improve EDP in terms of task assignment, employee training, enterprise culture building, etc.

Психологічна підтримка осіб з ознаками соціально тривожного розладу, який асоціюється з травматичним досвідом

Background. Considering the high prevalence of social anxiety disorder and its impact on quality of life and occupational functioning, research aimed at effective and accessible interventions can help reduce the burden of this disorder and improve patient well-being. Understanding traumatic experiences' influence on social anxiety development is critical for developing effective interventions. Studies exploring the link between traumatic experiences and the severity of anxiety disorders can shed light on this mechanism and provide more effective support to those who have experienced trauma. One of the challenges in treating social anxiety disorder is the low readiness of individuals to seek professional help. Low-intensity interventions may become more accessible and acceptable to patients, increasing their awareness of mental health issues and motivation for self-help or seeking specialized assistance. Previous research has shown the effectiveness of specific intervention methods for social phobias, but further studies are needed to test the stability of these results over time. Considering the above, research can help improve the understanding and psychological support for individuals with social anxiety disorder and develop more accessible and effective preventive measures for patients with a history of traumatic experiences. Objective. To study the effectiveness of a low-intensity cognitive-behavioral therapy psychosocial support program for individuals with social anxiety disorder associated with a history of traumatic experiences. Materials and Methods. The study group consisted of 179 individuals who reported significant emotional and psychological discomfort due to avoiding social situations and exhibited symptoms typical of social anxiety disorder for over six months in the past. At the initial stage, 109 individuals without signs of social phobia but with limitations in social interaction, including issues with adaptation and traumatic experiences in the past, were included as a control group. The mental state was assessed using The MINI: International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Psychopathological symptoms were analyzed using self-report questionnaires and the IAPT complex scales, while the quality of life was assessed using the self-report Q-LES-Q-SF questionnaire. In the second stage of the program evaluation, data analysis was conducted solely within the leading group, excluding the control groups, based on their classification according to associated traumatic experiences. Results. In the study, for the subgroup of individuals who participated in combat, experienced immediate life-threatening situations, or witnessed such events, it was found that traumatic experiences and distress related to social avoidance accounted for 56% of the variance in overall and work-related functioning after the program and throughout one month. Depressive symptoms ceased to be statistically significant predictors after participating in the program. The reduction in the impact of traumatic experiences and anxiety-related avoidance accounted for 27% of the variance in social interaction limitations and overall distress. In the subgroup of individuals who experienced loss and were influenced by social events they considered traumatic, no initial reduction in distress related to social avoidance was observed after the interventions. However, further reduction in distress in daily life and work was associated with reduced social phobia symptoms and increased awareness and acceptance of their emotional experiences. Depressive symptoms and the impact of traumatic experiences ceased to be predictive factors for overall distress. The research confirms the importance of understanding the influence of traumatic experiences and social avoidance on the development and manifestation of comorbid conditions in social phobia during the planning and implementation of psychosocial support. Furthermore, it is considered essential to consider that the role of traumatic experiences may be mediated by the circumstances of the study's time frame. Additional research will help better understand the relationships between traumatic experiences and vulnerability to comorbid psychopathology during adaptation to emergency circumstances and develop more effective psychosocial interventions for individuals with social phobia.

Usability of self-reported assessment of work functioning in municipal occupational rehabilitation teams: A qualitative study.

This study aimed to explore (1) whether self-reported assessment on work-related functioning, workability, return-to-work (RTW) self-efficacy, and expectation was useful in the professionals' assessment of sick-listed workers and could guide referral to interventions and (2) whether self-reporting in addition to "usual practice" could improve the RTW dialog and involvement in case management. The qualitative study took place in two municipal job centers in 2021. The assessment was based on the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire, RTW-Self-efficacy Scale-19, and single items of self-rated health, workability, and RTW expectations. Sick-listed workers (n = 36) were interviewed by telephone. Three focus-group interviews were conducted with professionals who had used the questionnaire. Data were coded and analyzed thematically. Three themes with seven subthemes emerged: (1) accessibility; (2) one tool in the RTW toolbox (subthemes: a supplementary tool, a tool for reflection, facilitating interdisciplinary communication, and enhancing active participation); and (3) the value of "ticking boxes" (subthemes: good days, bad days, the issue of power, and the cultural meaning of words). The professionals would not recommend the present questionnaire for use during their rehabilitation team meeting for assessment, interdisciplinary communication, or choice of interventions. However, using the parts assessing RTW self-efficacy and expectation combined with a dialog may be of value early in the RTW process. The self-reporting assessment tool was perceived to be meaningful to some sick-listed workers, as it provided reflections on important aspects of the RTW process. Some workers believed that it might contribute to the rehabilitation team, and thus, it could improve their involvement.

Is the Smartphone Friend and Foe? Benefits and Costs of Self-reported Smartphone Use for Important Life Domains in a Representative German Sample

Smartphones are ubiquitous today, yet opinions differ as to whether the benefits or downsides of smartphone use predominate. Using the age-representative ‘Innovation Sample’ of the German Socio-Economic Panel study (N = 5,131, age M = 52.26, 17–96 years), this study examined associations between self-reported smartphone use and three life domains: individual well-being (psychological well-being, sleep); interpersonal relationships (social isolation, network size); and work (working hours, job satisfaction). For younger adults, increased smartphone use was associated with higher psychological well-being and longer sleep. In middle and late adulthood, moderate smartphone use was associated with the highest psychological well-being, and increased smartphone use was associated with less sleep. The more adults used the communicative functions of their smartphone, the more close friends they reported – irrespective of age. Employed adults who used work-related functions of their smartphone reported working more overtime and in the evening. Exploratory structural equation model trees examined non-linear combinations of smartphone use and demographic characteristics as moderators of these associations, but observed only few replicable patterns. The generally small associations might indicate that differences in ‘normal ranges’ of smartphone use are less consequential for the broad population than often assumed. We discuss challenges and future approaches for research on consequences of smartphone use.

Implementation of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Therapy to Decrease Stress Levels in Nurses

Nursing is a very demanding field, and work-related stress can negatively affect the lives of nurses and their performance in daily work-related functions. Stress can lead to mental and physical changes, clinical errors, negligent patient care, a decrease in patient satisfaction, absenteeism from work, and conflicts with peers and those in leadership positions. This project was implemented in a mother-baby unit at a major academic urban hospital. The participants included full- and part-time English-speaking nurses.

Informatics Research on Mental Health Functioning: Decision Support for the Social Security Administration Disability Program.

The disability determination process of the Social Security Administration's (SSA's) disability program requires assessing work-related functioning for individual claimants alleging disability due to mental impairment. This task is particularly challenging because the determination process involves the review of a large file of information, including objective medical evidence and self-reports from claimants, families, and former employers. To improve this decision-making process, SSA entered an interagency agreement with the Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section, in the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health, intending to use data science and informatics to develop decision support tools. This collaborative effort over the past decade has led to the development of the Work Disability-Functional Assessment Battery and has initiated an approach to applying natural language processing to the review of claimants' files for information on mental health functioning. This informatics research collaboration holds promise for improving the process of disability determination for individuals with mental impairments who make claims at the SSA.

Daily functioning in glioma survivors: associations with cognitive function, psychological factorsand quality of life.

Aim:Understanding and supporting quality of life (QoL) and daily functioning in glioma patients is a clinical imperative. In this study, we examined the relationship between cognition, psychological factors, measures of health-related QoL and functioning in glioma survivors.Materials & methods:We examined neuropsychological, self-reported cognition, mood and QoL correlates of work and non-work-related daily functioning in 23 glioma survivors, and carried out linear models of the best predictors.Results & conclusion:A total of 13/23 participants were working at the time of enrollment. The best model for worse work-related functioning (R2 = .83) included worse self-reported cognitive function, depression, loneliness and brain tumor symptoms. The best model for worse non-work-related functioning (R2 = .61) included worse self-reported cognitive functioning, anxiety, sleep disturbance and physical functioning. Neuropsychological variables were not among the most highly correlated with function. Worse cognitive, particularly self-reported and psychosocial outcomes may compromise optimal functioning in glioma survivors.

Mindfulness buffers the adverse impact of need frustration on employee outcomes: A self‐determination theory perspective

According to the job demands–resources model, job demands (or hindrances) can drain energy and yield physiological and psychological costs by requiring sustained physical and/or mental effort at work. Using self-determination theory, the current study examined the associations among role conflict (as a proxy for job demands), frustration of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, mindfulness, and employees’ health and work-related functioning. In line with hypotheses, the results revealed an indirect effect of role conflict on burnout, somatic symptom burden, and turnover intentions through basic psychological need frustration. Further, these indirect effects were moderated by mindfulness, such that the mediation by basic psychological need frustration was less evident among individuals who reported higher levels of mindfulness. Taken together, these findings contribute to a small but growing literature on the benefits of mindfulness in organizational settings.

Activity Impairment, Work Status, and Work Productivity Loss in Adults 5-7 Years After Burn Injuries.

An important aspect of the rehabilitation of burn patients is social participation, including daily activities and work. Detailed information on long-term activity impairment and employment is scarce. Therefore, we investigated activity impairment, work status, and work productivity loss in adults 5–7 years following burn injuries, and investigated associations with burn-specific health-related quality of life (HRQL) domains. Adult participants completed the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment General Health questionnaire and the Burn Specific Health Scale-brief (BSHS-B) 5–7 years post-burn. Outcomes were compared between participants with mild/intermediate and severe burns (>20% total body surface area burned). Seventy-six (36%) of the 213 participants experienced some degree of activity impairment due to burn-related problems 5–7 years post-burn. Seventy percent of the population was employed; 12% of them experienced work productivity loss due to burn-related problems. Nineteen percent reported changes in their work situation (partly) because of the burn injury. A higher proportion of participants with severe burns had activity impairments (56% vs 29%; P = .001) and work productivity loss (26% vs 8%; P < .001) compared to participants with mild/intermediate burns. Activity impairment and work productivity loss were both associated with burn-related work problems and lower mood, measured with the BSHS-B. In conclusion, a substantial part of the study population experienced activity impairment and work productivity loss, was unemployed, and/or reported changes in their work situation due to their injury. Particularly patients with severe burns reported productivity loss and had lower employment rates. This subscribes the importance of addressing work-related functioning in the rehabilitation of burn patients.

ADHD at the workplace: ADHD symptoms, diagnostic status, and work-related functioning

Adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) commonly experience impairments in multiple domains of daily living. Work has a central role in daily life and is susceptible to ADHD due to its cognitive demands. The present study seeks to examine the nature of work-related problems and impairments of adults with ADHD, and explores the association to ADHD symptoms and neuropsychological test performance. A community sample of 1231 individuals took part in this study and completed a set of questionnaires assessing ADHD symptoms and work-related problems. Furthermore, a clinical sample of 134 adults diagnosed with ADHD were recruited from an ADHD outpatient clinic, who completed the same set of questionnaires. A subsample of 51 patients with ADHD additionally performed a neuropsychological assessment using tests of attention and executive functions. Work-related problems were found both in individuals of the community sample with symptoms of ADHD and individuals diagnosed with ADHD. Individuals with ADHD reported work related problems particularly in not meeting their own standards and perceived potential, yet it less commonly manifests in negative performance evaluations at work or job loss. ADHD symptoms, in particular symptoms of inattention, were found to be strongly associated with work-related problems, whereas neuropsychological test performance was no meaningful predictor of functioning at work. This study emphasizes the susceptibility of individuals’ functioning at work to ADHD symptoms and impairments associated with ADHD. ADHD related difficulties at work should be considered in the clinical evaluation and targeted screening at the work place to provide support when indicated.

Disease burden and remaining unmet need in patients with haemophilia A treated with primary prophylaxis

There is evidence that people with haemophilia A still experience morbidity and functional limitation due to joint damage despite prophylaxis. This study aimed to compare their quality of life and work-related function with that of the general population and patients with osteoarthritis. Data from the Cost of Haemophilia in Europe: a Socioeconomic Survey (CHESS) database were compared with published data from normative populations and patients with osteoarthritis in Europe and the United States. In the predominantly young (age 18-35years) adult CHESS population treated with primary prophylaxis, about 30% reported a target joint; the average frequency of bleeds was one per year; half reported chronic pain. Levels of anxiety and depression were similar to those reported by people using on-demand treatment. Employment and productivity were lower than in the general population. The level of presenteeism (attending work with impairment) was comparable with that reported for a much older population with osteoarthritis who had more extensive joint damage and greater prevalence of pain. Compared with the general population, clinical outcomes and quality of life are indicated to be impaired for young adults whose haemophilia is managed by primary prophylaxis. Primary prophylaxis is not associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression than on-demand treatment, and pain is common. The level of presenteeism is comparable to that reported in people with osteoarthritis, an older population with more joint disease. Further studies are needed to fully assess the implications of compromised work performance among young adults with haemophilia as they seek to build a career.

Reliability and validity of the functioning assessment short test for older adults with bipolar disorder (FAST-O)

BackgroundMany frequently used instruments fail to assess psychosocial functioning in patients with bipolar disorder. The Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) was developed in order to tackle this problem and to assess the main functioning problems experienced by patients with bipolar disorder. However, the original FAST is not fully applicable in older adults due to the domain of occupational functioning. The aim of our study was to validate an adapted version for Older adults (FAST-O) in a group of older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD).Methods88 patients aged 50 years and over diagnosed with bipolar disorder were included. We adapted the items in the area of “work-related functioning” of the FAST into items assessing “societal functioning”. Several measurements were conducted in order to analyse the psychometric qualities of the FAST-O (confirmatory factor analysis for internal structure, Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency, Spearman’s rho for concurrent validity, Mann–Whitney U test for discriminant validity).ResultsMean age in the study sample was 65.3 (SD = 7.5) and 57.3% was female. The internal structure was most similar to the internal structure of the original FAST. The internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = .93). The concurrent validity when correlated with the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale was low, but significant. The FAST-O was also able to distinguish between euthymic and symptomatic OABD patients.ConclusionsThe FAST-O has strong psychometric qualities. Based on our results, we can conclude that the FAST-O is a short, efficient solution in order to replace global rating scales or extensive test batteries in order to assess daily functioning of older psychiatric patients in a valid and reliable manner.

'Employ Your Mind': a pilot evaluation of a programme to help people with serious mental illness obtain and retain employment.

Cognitive impairments contribute to difficulty in obtaining employment for people with severe mental illnesses (SMIs). We describe a pilot evaluation of a programme, Employ Your Mind (EYM), which integrates cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) with vocational rehabilitation. Sixty participants with SMIs enrolled in EYM, a 6-month programme that combines CRT exercises, individual project work and group reflection sessions about social interaction and cognitive functioning. Participants completed assessments of cognitive function (Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen, Wechsler Digit Span Task), psychosocial function (Work and Social Adjustment Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale) and abilities related to work (Dialogue about Working Ability, Self-Assessment of Thinking Skills) at baseline and postprogramme. Paired t-tests were used to compare assessments of participants who completed the programme between the two time points. The programme was completed by 22 individuals. These individuals demonstrated significant improvement in cognitive function, social and work-related function, and subjective thinking ability after completing the EYM programme. The EYM programme is effective in improving cognition, impairments related to work and social function, and subjective thinking skills for some individuals with SMIs. Future evaluation of the programme should focus on enhanced retention and assessment of employment outcomes.

Tai Chi and workplace wellness for health care workers: a systematic review

Abstract Background Several studies show positive effects of new non-medical therapies known as complementary and alternative medicines, such as the discipline of tai chi. As healthcare professions are among the most vulnerable for work-related stress, this systematic review aims to investigate the relationship between tai chi practice and wellness of healthcare workers. Methods Cinahl, Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed were searched in September 2019. Full-text articles, written in English and published after 1995, were recruited if they focused on positive effects of tai chi on the psychophysical wellbeing of healthcare workers, in comparison with alternative techniques (such as yoga or traditional care). Outcomes were reduced work-related stress, better physical and psychological function, improvement in attention and/or productivity; no restrictions about study design were applied. Quality assessment was performed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale on cohort/cross-sectional studies, the Jadad scale for randomized clinical trial, AMSTAR for systematic reviews and CASE REPORT scale for case study. Results 6/111 papers were included: 3 clinical trials, 1 observational study, 1 systematic review and 1 case report. The methodological quality was of medium level. 2/3 trials found a significant increase in individuals' wellbeing and improvements in stress levels and nursing staff’s motivation in their work. In the observational study tai chi was a prevalent mind-body practice to reduce stress. The systematic review suggested that tai chi could be a useful tool to reduce stress-related chronic pain. In case report the effectiveness was observed in medical students. Conclusions This study highlights the full potential and possible benefits derived from tai chi but its application to improve health professionals' wellbeing is still limited, and the absence of a standardized intervention impacts on the methodological quality and reduces the robustness of the retrieved evidence. Key messages Tai chi can improve many pathological conditions and reduce work-related stress. Further research is needed to gain robust evidence of its efficacy for wellbeing of healthcare workers.

The Mechanisms and Boundary Conditions Linking Sleep Duration to Work-Related Functioning

Research suggests that sleep is linked to work-related functioning. Moreover, recent studies have identified individual traits and organisational boundary conditions that modulate this relation. However, moderators identified so far are relatively stable and difficult to change for employees themselves. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the link between sleep and work remain largely unexplored. In the present study, we address these gaps by examining first, implicit theories about willpower (i.e., believing that regulatory resource availability is limited rather than non-limited) as a malleable protective resource that moderates the relation between sleep and regulatory resource availability, and second the interplay of regulatory resource availability and motivational processes in the form of basic needs satisfaction as a mechanism linking good sleep to work-related functioning. To develop our research model, we integrate notions on sleep and self-control, implicit theories about willpower, and self-determination. We test our model in two daily diary studies across 10 days with samples of N=51 (Study 1) and N=145 (Study 2) employees. Findings from both studies consistently reveal that the relation between sleep and regulatory resource availability is stronger for individuals holding a limited- as compared to a non-limited resource theory. Moreover, as hypothesized, we find mediating effects of regulatory resource availability and basic needs satisfaction on work engagement, as well as in- and extra- role performance as indicators of work-related functioning. Subsequently, we discuss theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations of our research.

Effects of Preventive Physiotherapy Practices on Posture and Work-Related Functions in Office Workers

Effects of Preventive Physiotherapy Practices on Posture and Work-Related Functions in Office Workers

Examining Work-Related Functioning in a Physical Therapy Outpatient Clinic: Validity and Reliability of the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ).

Purpose Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are often associated with long-term sick leave, productivity loss, and reduced work functioning. However, measures that assess work-related functioning are sparse. Objective To assess the psychometric properties of the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ)-German version in patients with MSDs in an outpatient physical therapy practice. Methods Psychometric study including patients with MSDs with restricted work participation. Data was collected in a single physical therapy outpatient clinic. For construct validity, we developed a priori hypotheses on the correlation between the functioning part of WORQ (40 items) and other questionnaires with similar concepts. For test-retest reliability, WORQ was administered twice, 7days apart. We examined internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha) and Minimal Detectable Change (MDC). Feasibility of WORQ was examined using feedback from patients and physical therapists. Results There were 51 study participants. Test-retest of WORQ sum score was 0.80 (p < 0.01) (Spearman's rho). Internal consistency was 0.94 and MDC established at 9.2%. WORQ correlated with general health (r = - 0.49), with HADS (r = 0.55), and with quality of life (WHOQOL) (r = - 0.47). WORQ had the highest correlation with WHODAS 2.0 (r = 0.81). Patients rated WORQ as easy to answer and meaningful to their experience. Conclusions When evaluating self-reported work-related functioning, the WORQ-German version was demonstrated to be a valid, reliable, and easy to administer questionnaire for our sample of patients with MSDs in an outpatient PT clinic.