The reliability and validity of the Caregiver Work Limitations Questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
To test a new Caregiver Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ). On the basis of the original WLQ, this new survey instrument assesses the effect of caregiving for ill and/or disabled persons on the caregiver's work performance.


METHODS
A questionnaire was administered anonymously to employees of a large business services company. Scale reliability and validity were tested with psychometric methods.


RESULTS
Of 4128 survey participants, 18.3% currently were caregivers, 10.2% were past caregivers, and 71.5% were not caregivers. Current caregivers were limited in their ability to perform basic job tasks between mean 10.3% and 16.8% of the time. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a scale structure similar to the WLQ's. Scales reliabilities (the Cronbach's α) ranged from 0.91 to 0.95.


CONCLUSIONS
The Caregiver WLQ is a new tool for understanding the workplace effect of caregiving.
From the Program on Health, Work and Productivity (Drs Lerner and Chang, Mr. Visco) and Program on Child and Family Outcomes (Dr Parsons), Center for Health Solutions, Tufts Medical Center, Boston Mass; and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Dr Pawlecki), Akron, Ohio.
Debra
D
Lerner
Susan K
SK
Parsons
Hong
H
Chang
Zachary L
ZL
Visco
J Brent
JB
Pawlecki
D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004526:Efficiency; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D017748:Time Management; D017132:Workplace