Usability and consistency in findings of the work support needs assessment tool.
Maria J E Schouten, Karen Nieuwenhuijsen, Haije Wind and 2 others
PMID 33427723WHAT IT FOUND
Most vocational rehabilitation professionals found a new 21-item tool useful for structuring client interviews and gaining insight into work support needs.
However, training on the tool did not make their support recommendations more consistent across clients.
Key findings
01A small majority of interviewed professionals stated the tool was useful for obtaining relevant information and gaining insights regarding work support needs.
02Overall, a significant increase in consistency in professionals' work support needs judgements could not be demonstrated after training.
03Consistency regarding the type of support did not improve, as the number of different sub-categories of findings increased from eight to nine after training.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study did not demonstrate improved consistency in work support needs judgements after training. Participants assessed vignettes played by an actor rather than conducting individual assessments with real clients, which may not reflect real-world application. The analysis relied on a qualitative content analysis to define sub-categories, which may have influenced the consistency measures. The sample was small and specific to Dutch vocational rehabilitation contexts. The tool's psychometric properties are not fully established, and further research is needed.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by the Medical Ethical Committee of the Academic Medical Center, which determined it was not subject to the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that training professionals on this tool will lead to more consistent work support recommendations. The study found that consistency did not improve for the type of support, and improvements for the focus of support were minimal or inconclusive.