PTOTQualitativeWork (Reading, Mass.)2025

Content validity of the Demand and Ability Protocol - A dialogue tool involving stakeholders in exploring demands and abilities at work.

Marie-Louise Pauhlson, Teresia Nyman, Magnus Svartengren and 4 others

PMID 39973742

WHAT IT FOUND

The revised Demand and Ability Protocol now has seven domains and begins with basic skills.

Experts and experienced users found its items mostly clear and relevant for workplace dialogue about demands and abilities.

Key findings

01The revised Demand and Ability Protocol has seven domains and begins with basic skills.

02Experts and experienced users found the revised items mostly clear and easy to understand.

03The revision separated basic skills from social ability and merged some dynamic work items.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs

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What it does not show

It was a qualitative content-validity study, so the findings cannot be generalised. The sample was small: seven experts and interviews that were four face-to-face and nine digital. It did not test whether the revised DAP improves return to work, work ability, or patient outcomes. The research group included people involved in the DAP's Swedish translation and worked with two developers of the Norwegian version. The authors state that gender balance was not achieved in the sample.

Declared interests

Funding was provided by Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd. The supplied text does not report author conflicts of interest.

The easy way to misread this

Do not read this as evidence that the revised Demand and Ability Protocol improves return to work or work ability. It tested whether the items were clear and relevant to professionals, not whether using the tool changed patient outcomes.

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