Validation of the Work-Disability Physical Functional Assessment Battery.
Christine M McDonough, Pengsheng Ni, Kara Peterik and 5 others
PMID 29752911WHAT IT FOUND
The Work-Disability Physical Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB) showed moderate validity against a physical work performance evaluation, but patients reported higher function than their therapists.
The test worked best for upper body function and was less reliable for mobility and position tolerance in this high-functioning sample.
Key findings
01Self-reported WD-FAB scores had moderate, statistically significant correlations with provider proxy-reported scores, though patients consistently rated their own function higher than their therapists did.
02Validity evidence was strongest for the Upper Body Function scale when compared to dynamic strength tests, while correlations for Whole Body Mobility and Changing & Maintaining Body Position scales were poor to acceptable.
03The study sample was mostly white, well-educated, and functioning at a relatively high level, meaning results do not represent individuals seeking disability services or those with severe limitations.
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
The sample size was small (50 people) and participants were mostly well-educated, white, and non-Hispanic, limiting generalizability. Participants were functioning at a relatively high level and were not seeking disability services, so the results do not apply to individuals with severe limitations or those applying for Social Security Administration benefits. There were too few participants with wrist/hand disorders or wheelchair users to validate the Fine Motor and Wheelchair Mobility scales. Therapists knew the patients well, which could bias proxy-reports or PWPE results, though this mimics real-world clinical settings.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the WD-FAB is a validated tool for all physical function domains or for disability claimants. The study only provided validity evidence for the Upper Body, Mobility, and Position Tolerance scales in a high-functioning, non-disability-seeking population, and it explicitly warns that scores from this sample should not be used broadly for interpreting disability claims.