The aim was to investigate the predictive validity of the Worker Role Interview (WRI) for return to work at a two-year follow up of clients who attended an insurance medicine investigation centre. The WRI identifies psychosocial and environmental factors, that influence a person's abilities to return to work. Forty-eight of 202 consecutively selected clients constituted the study group. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the statistically significant differences in WRI ratings between those who were working (n=6) and those who were not (n=42) two years after their investigations. Five of the 17 items in WRI had a tentative predictive validity of return to work. The content area "personal causation" in WRI, had the best predictive validity. The results emphasize the importance of considering the unique individual's beliefs and expectations of his/her effectiveness at work when assessing clients' work ability and planning for further rehabilitation.

Worker Role Interview (WRI) is an assessment tool designed to identify psychosocial and environmental factors which influence a person's ability to return to work. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the Worker Role Interview (WRI) can predict return to work over a period of two years. Fifty three long-term sick-listed people were interviewed and rated with the WRI. Differences in ratings and the ability of WRI to correctly predict whether these people would fall into the working or non-working groups at 6, 12 and 24 month follow-ups were tested by Mann-Whitney test and logistic regression respectively. Eight of 17 items in WRI were rated differently between the groups at one or more of the follow-ups. The regression models based on the WRI ratings had an overall correct prediction rate ranging from 81% to 96%. 'Expectation of job success' which concerns the person's belief in abilities in relation to return to work emerged as an important predictive factor for return to work in all statistical analyses. The WRI assessment contains items that could predict return to work. This implies that the WRI could be a useful tool in vocational rehabilitation for identifying individual rehabilitation needs.

Background: This case study explores changes in work potential and work performance for ten people who worked before their stroke while participating in the ReWork-Stroke programme. It describes measures performed by the occupational therapists to enhance work potential and work performance and the participants’ level of work re-entry nine months after the start of their work trial. Methods: Ten people who had experienced a mild or moderate stroke participated. Changes were assessed using the Worker Role Interview and the Assessment of Work Performance. Logbooks relating to work potential and work performance were analysed using content analysis. Results: The participants’ work potential was in general supportive to returning to work at baseline and remained so at the three-month follow-up. Most changes occurred in the environmental factors regarding the participants’ belief that adaptations at the workplace would make re-entry possible. Changes concerning work performance were predominately in a positive direction. Seven of the participants returned to paid work. Conclusion: The ReWork-Stroke programme seems promising for promoting changes in work potential, work performance, and return to paid work. However, further studies are needed to evaluate changes in work potential and work performance and the programme’s effectiveness for increasing work re-entry for people who have had stroke.

The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to identify factors associated with a high level of accommodation needs in school activities among students with special educational needs (SEN) in regular upper secondary education; and (2) to investigate the extent to which schools have met students' perceived accommodation needs. Accommodation needs and their provision in school activities were assessed with the School Setting Interview for 484 students with SEN. Students' mean age was 17.3 years and 50% did not have a diagnosis. A logistic regression analysis revealed that a high level of school absence, studying a vocational programme, and a neuropsychiatric disorder were associated with a high level of accommodation needs. In the majority of school activities, about 50% of students had not received any accommodation despite an experienced need for support. About 30% of students perceived a need for support even though they had been provided with accommodations, and around 25% stated they were satisfied with received accommodations. Regular upper secondary school students with SEN are insufficiently provided with accommodations to satisfactorily participate in education. Specific student characteristics, e.g. high level of school absence, should receive special attention when investigating and accommodating students' needs for support in school activities. ARTICLE HISTORY

This study examined the validity and reliability of the Assessment of Work Performance (AWP) using Rasch analysis. The AWP was administered to 365 clients with a variety of work-related problems. Rasch analysis and principal component analysis were used to examine the appropriateness of the rating scales and unidimensionality of AWP items. The person-response validity, internal consistency, targeting appropriateness, and differential item function were also analyzed. The Rasch analysis confirmed the 4-point rating scale, and the item set met the criteria of unidimensionality. The AWP exhibited satisfactory person-response validity and internal consistency. Among the three subdomains, the targeting of item-difficulty was sufficient in the motor skills and process skills subdomains. Differential item functioning was found across gender and diagnoses. This study presented evidence to support that the AWP functioned as a reliable and valid assessment in assessing work performance. [OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health 2013;33(3):125-133.].