The reliability of a historical interview with physically disabled respondents

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Science
• Clinical Psychology
• Occupational Therapy

Background:

• Assessing the occupational roles of individuals with physical disabilities is crucial for effective intervention.
• Existing assessment tools may not fully capture the nuances of historical occupational experiences.
• The Occupational Role History interview is a potential tool for gathering this information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability of the modified Occupational Role History interview.
• To assess the utility of a newly developed companion rating scale.
• To determine if reliable clinical judgments can be derived from the interview data.

Main Methods:

• A modified version of the Occupational Role History interview was administered.
• A companion rating scale was developed to standardize data interpretation.
• Test-retest and interrater reliability analyses were conducted with 20 participants with physical disabilities.

Main Results:

• The analysis indicated good test-retest reliability for the interview.
• Interrater reliability was also found to be satisfactory.
• The companion rating scale demonstrated consistency in scoring.

Conclusions:

• The modified Occupational Role History interview is a reliable tool for assessing individuals with physical disabilities.
• The interview, supported by the rating scale, facilitates the formation of stable clinical judgments.
• This methodology offers a dependable approach for understanding patients' occupational histories in clinical settings.