Predicting and Assessing Work Performance of People with Limited Work Capacity (LWC): A Multi-Wave, Multi-Source Study.
Gemma M C van Ruitenbeek, Fred R H Zijlstra, Ute R Hülsheger
PMID 32910346WHAT IT FOUND
Self-reported avoidance coping consistently predicted lower work accuracy, pace, social behaviour and task performance.
Other-rated concentration and conscientiousness predicted work accuracy, but other-rated self-confidence predicted lower accuracy. Self- and other-ratings captured complementary, not identical, predictors of work behaviour.
Key findings
01Self-reported avoidance-oriented coping was a significant negative predictor of all four outcome measures: work accuracy, work pace, social behaviour at work, and task performance.
02Other-rated concentration and conscientiousness were significant positive predictors of work accuracy, while other-rated self-confidence was a significant negative predictor of work accuracy.
03Relative weight analysis showed that persistency made the strongest unique contribution to social behaviour at work, and adaptability made the strongest contribution to work pace in the other-rating sample.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study had substantial attrition, with complete matched data for only 141 self-ratings and 126 other-ratings from the original 267 participants. The follow-up period was short, averaging 5.3 weeks, which may not capture long-term work performance or adjustment. The work behaviour scale showed poor fit indices in confirmatory factor analysis before modification, suggesting the construct structure may not be fully stable. The sample was heterogeneous, including people with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, psychological disorders, and physical disabilities, making it difficult to generalise findings to any single condition.
Declared interests
The study was funded by Maastricht University. The authors declared no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the negative association between other-rated self-confidence and work accuracy as evidence that confidence harms performance. The authors suggest this reflects overestimation of ability by the target group, meaning low observer-rated confidence may actually signal better self-awareness and accuracy.