The Work Behavior Inventory (WBI) was developed in the USA for the assessment of vocational functioning for people with severe mental illness. It is rated in a work setting by an employment specialist through observation and an interview with the immediate supervisor.
The present study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the WBI.
The participants (n = 148) of the Job Management Program (JUMP) study for psychotic disorders were assessed with the WBI around the fourth week of work. A principal component analysis identified three substantial factors.
The three corresponding scales were termed Social Skills revised, Work Quality revised and Compliance with work norms. The scales had a high internal consistency. Correlations with the Social Functioning Scale, education and previous work history supported the validity of the subscales.
The results indicate that the Norwegian version of the WBI maintains good psychometric properties, and that vocational functioning can be reliably and validly assessed in a Norwegian setting.
There has been a lack of validated assessment tools for this group in Norway. Functional assessment with the WBI provides a comprehensive evaluation of the individuals' strengths and challenges in the vocational setting, and provides goals for the vocational rehabilitation.