gms | German Medical Science

Background: The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB) is a patient-completed measure of eight domains of physical and mental functioning for adults. Initially created to standardize assessments supporting claims adjudication for Social Security in the United States Social Security Administration, the WD-FAB was rigorously developed based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework (ICF) [1] and administered using computer adaptive testing (CAT) to minimize respondent burden while maintaining measurement accuracy. Its 300+ items have been psychometrically tested in large samples of US adults [1], [2], [3].

Aim: Cultural adoption of the WD-FAB to Germany and other European countries.

Method: Cultural adaptation of the WD-FAB require two independent forward translations and one to two backward translations; review by experts in the field of rehabilitation and health measurement; and field testing. The items must be psychometrically analyzed as well as calibrated using item response theory in appropriate populations.

Results/findings: Current Activities: Representatives of many European countries (including Germany) met in September 2018 to discuss cultural adaptation of the WD-FAB and its application in the rehabilitation context. The German adaptation project has been detailed in a protocol and scheduled to begin January 2019. The German WD-FAB will be analyzed using German rehabilitation patients and disability claimants.

Discussion and conclusions: The accurate measurement of functional level with low respondent burden can be used to support disability claims adjudication; evaluate rehabilitation patients’ recovery progress and effectiveness of therapy; and provide a standardized measure for international comparisons as the WD-FAB is adopted by other countries.