A behavioral approach to RTW after sickness absence: the development of instruments for the assessment of motivational determinants, motivation and key actors' attitudes.
BACKGROUND
On the basis of a motivational framework for return to work (RTW) after sickness absence, scales were developed to measure absentee attitudes towards RTW, perceived social norm with respect to RTW, RTW self-efficacy, RTW motivation, and the RTW attitudes of six types of key actors.


METHODS
Both theory and 33 in-depth interviews with sickness absentees and occupational physicians produced 95 items. A sample of 119 absentees who had reported sick for more than one month completed these items. Absentees varied with respect to gender, age, educational level, and work sector.


RESULTS
Factor analyses and reliability analyses yielded seventeen scales with sufficient reliability (Cronbach's alpha: 0.60-0.86).


CONCLUSIONS
The new scales appear to be valid and promising for future research on RTW. Validation in larger samples is necessary and the predictive validity should to be tested.
De Rijk
Angelique
A
Maastricht University, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Dept. of Social Medicine, Maastricht, The Netherlands. f.nijhuis@beoz.unimaas.nl
Janssen
N
N
Van Lierop
B
B
Alexanderson
K
K
Nijhuis
F
F
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011581:Psychological Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D018582:Sick Leave; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult