Validity and Reliability of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) in a U.S. Sample of Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract

Importance: Although occupational balance (OB) is a construct of importance to occupational therapy, existing OB assessments have not been validated in clinical populations.

Objective: To examine the validity and reliability of the 11-item version of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) in U.S. adults with Type 1 diabetes.

Design: Data were analyzed from adults with Type 1 diabetes enrolled in a larger longitudinal study examining the relationships among blood glucose, emotion, and functioning. Dimensionality of the OBQ11 was assessed with item response theory (IRT); convergent validity was tested by examining whether associations between the OBQ11 and other constructs were consistent with a priori hypotheses.

Setting: Three outpatient clinical sites in the United States.

Participants: Data from 208 U.S. adults with Type 1 diabetes were included in the analyses (42% Latino, 29% White, 14% African American, 7% multiethnic, and 8% other).

Outcomes and Measures: Assessments administered include the OBQ11, Patient Health Questionnaire (depression), and Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire.

Results: Overall, results from IRT models and correlational tests supported the reliability and validity of the OBQ11. For instance, higher scores on the OBQ11 were significantly associated with better self-ratings of diabetes management behaviors (r = .28, p < .001), lower depression symptoms (r = −.53, p < .001), and greater positive affect (r = .32, p < .001). A single-factor generalized partial credit model fit the OBQ11 acceptably well, supporting its unidimensionality.

Conclusions and Relevance: The OBQ11 may be a reliable and valid measure of OB appropriate for use in clinical populations such as adults with diabetes.

What This Article Adds: OB is not often formally assessed by occupational therapists in the United States, even though the contributions of OB to health and well-being are core components of the philosophy of occupational therapy. The current evidence supports the validity of the OBQ11 in a clinical population of adults with Type 1 diabetes and demonstrates significant associations between OB and health management behaviors. Study results may encourage greater consideration and assessment of OB in occupational therapy clinical practice in the United States.