title: Development and validation of a fatigue assessment scale for U.S. construction workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a fatigue assessment scale and test its reliability and validity for commercial construction workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a two-phased approach, we first identified items (first phase) for the development of a Fatigue Assessment Scale for Construction Workers (FASCW) through review of existing scales in the scientific literature, key informant interviews (n = 11) and focus groups (three groups with six workers each) with construction workers. The second phase included assessment for the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the new scale using a repeated-measures study design with a convenience sample of construction workers (n = 144).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Phase one resulted in a 16-item preliminary scale that after factor analysis yielded a final 10-item scale with two sub-scales ("Lethargy" and "Bodily Ailment"). During phase two, the FASCW and its subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (alpha coefficients were FASCW [0.91], Lethargy [0.86] and Bodily Ailment [0.84]) and acceptable test-retest reliability (Pearson Correlations Coefficients: 0.59-0.68; Intraclass Correlation Coefficients: 0.74-0.80). Correlation analysis substantiated concurrent and convergent validity. A discriminant analysis demonstrated that the FASCW differentiated between groups with arthritis status and different work hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 10-item FASCW with good reliability and validity is an effective tool for assessing the severity of fatigue among construction workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Construction Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Mingzong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Emily H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Sparer
authors.forename: Lauren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Jack T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Dennerlein
authors.forename: Dongping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jeffrey N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Alberto J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Caban-Martinez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D060389:Construction Industry / Q000592:standards*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: construction worker; fatigue; reliability; scale; sensitivity; validity