Constructing an Outcome Measure of Occupational Experience: An Application of Rasch Measurement Methods

Rasch methods were used to evaluate and further develop the Daily Experiences of Pleasure, Productivity, and Restoration Profile (PPR Profile) into a health outcome measure of occupational experience. Analyses of 263 participant PPR Profiles focused on rating scale structure, dimensionality, and reliability. All rating scale categories increased with the intended meaning of the scales, but only 20 of the 21 category measures fit the Rasch rating scale model (RRSM). Several items also did not fit the RRSM and results of residual principal components analyses suggested possible second dimensions in each scale. More importantly, reliability coefficients were very low and participants could not be separated into more than one group as demonstrated by low person separation indices. The authors offer several recommendations for the next steps in the development of the PPR Profile as a health outcome measure of occupational experience.