Background: Parkinson’s disease follows a chronic course, and therefore quality of life is important to assess in relation to rehabilitation programs for persons with the disease. Aim: To examine whether a brief rehabilitation program can promote positive changes in functional status, general self-efficacy, and quality of life and to examine factors associated with changes in quality of life. Methods: Patients with Parkinson’s disease (n=83) completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire at the beginning of a rehabilitation program and at three weeks follow-up. Within-person changes were analyzed with paired t -tests. A hierarchical linear regression was conducted to assess the independent associations between the independent variables and changes in quality of life during the three weeks program, while adjusting for the covariance between the independent variables. Results: Patients reported higher functional status ( d =0.37, p <0.001), general self-efficacy ( d =0.28, p <0.01), and quality of life ( d =0.32, p <0.001) at three weeks follow-up, compared to their baseline scores. The regression analysis showed that having a better initial functional status ( β =−0.26, p <0.05) and lower quality of life ( β =0.51, p <0.001) were associated with more improvements in quality of life. Conclusion: The study suggests that actual functioning in persons with Parkinson’s disease is a better predictor of improved quality of life than self-efficacy beliefs and that those who have lower levels of initial quality of life benefit more from rehabilitation.

Background: The Intentional Relationship Model conceptualizes the therapeutic use of self in occupational therapy. To increase motivation for and success in establishing therapeutic relationships, therapists need self-efficacy for using the self in therapeutic practice. However, attempts to combine this model with self-efficacy theory are rare, and instruments by which to measure self-efficacy for therapeutic use of self are in a developing stage. This study aimed to examine the factor structure and internal consistency of the Norwegian Self-Efficacy for Recognizing Interpersonal Characteristics (N-SERIC). Methods: Occupational therapy students (n = 100) from two education programs completed the instrument and sociodemographic information. The factor structure was examined with Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's α and inter-item correlations. Results: The PCA revealed that all N-SERIC items belonged to the same latent factor, with factor loadings ranging between 0.75 and 0.89. The internal consistency of the scale items was high (Cronbach's α = 0.96). Conclusions: The N-SERIC scale is unidimensional and the items have very high internal consistency. Thus, the scale sum score can be useful for occupational therapy research and audits focusing on interpersonal aspects of practice. Comments The authors disclose no conflicts of interest.

Background The Intentional Relationship Model (IRM) proposes six therapeutic modes as ways of relating to clients. The Norwegian self-efficacy for therapeutic mode use (N-SETMU) was found to have a one-component structure. However, its items reflect abstract concepts rather than concrete behaviors. Aim To validate further the N-SETMU by linking its items to the Norwegian client assessment of modes (N-CAM), with 30 items constituting six scales (linked to each mode), possessing concrete, behavioral content. Methods Occupational therapy students (n = 111) completed the N-SETMU and the N-CAM derived items, along with sociodemographic information. Component structure was analyzed with Principal Components Analysis (PCA), internal consistency of scales with Cronbach's α, and associations between scale scores with Pearson's r. Results All items on all N-CAM derived scales loaded on one latent component, except one item related to problem-solving. After removing this item, the scale functioned appropriately. Cronbach's α for all N-CAM derived scales ranged 0.88–0.94, and the associations between the N-CAM derived scales and the corresponding N-SETMU items ranged between 0.60 (advocating) and 0.79 (encouraging). Conclusions In view of the strong associations between the concrete, N-CAM derived scales and the abstract N-SETMU items, this study supports the concurrent validity of the N-SETMU.

Background: The clubhouses are part of a growing international movement concerned with providing work-oriented psychosocial rehabilitation for people with a history of mental illness. Instruments used for measuring outcomes from clubhouse participation is in a developing phase. Aims: This study aimed to assess psychometric properties of an outcome survey tool used at a Norwegian clubhouse, and to explore factors associated with members' perceived outcomes from participation at the clubhouse. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. The instrument's factor structure was examined with Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's α. Associations with the derived outcome scale score were examined with linear regression analysis. Results: All scale items belonged to the same latent factor, and internal consistency of the items was α = 0.81. Members, who used the clubhouse more frequently perceived the outcomes from participating to be better, compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: The outcome scale was unidimensional and the items fit well together. Active members were likely to evaluate outcomes of clubhouse participation as more positive, compared to less active members. Significance: The scale can be useful for exploring clubhouse members' perceptions of the outcomes they relate to their participation at the clubhouse.