The new research results of Volitional Questionnaire (traditional Chinese version)- Inter-rater reliability for persons with mental illness

Title: The Inter-rater Reliability of the Volitional Questionnaire- Chinese Version(VQ-C)

Author: Wei-Ann Chen

Major Finding: The Study confirmed that the Chinese version of VQ has acceptable inter-rater reliability.

Participants: N=100 subjects, 3 licensed OT who were trained to use VQ
• 59 males,41females
• Mean age of the subjects: 47.8 years (SD=12.6)
• Diagnosis Condition: 37 subjects with Schizophrenia, 32 subjects with Depression, 31 subjects with alcohol use disorder.
• Setting: A medical center in northern Taiwan.
• Ethnicity:100 Asian (Taiwan)
• IRB approval: TSGHIRB: 1-102-05-056

Method: Three raters was trained to use VQ-C. They read the manual and co-assessed a standard subject. Then a meeting was called to discuss the ratings until unanimity was reached. Five standardized manual activities was designed to be chosen by the subjects. By observing the performance of the activities the subject chooses, the rater can rate him(her) on VQ-C. Each subject would participate in 2 activities which one was chosen by the subject and the other one was assigned by the therapist. Each subject was rated by at least 2 raters. The subjects also filled out the other measures including BAI, BDI-II, OSA and TSCL.

Analysis: Multi-faceted Rasch measurement model, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and multiple rater Kappa were used to examine the inter-rater reliability. The statistical analysis were conducted by FACETS (version 3.71.4)and SPSS (version 17.0).

Findings:
Implications for future research:
Evidence–basedpractice implications:
• The internal consistency of the VQ-C was 89%, ICC=0.84, and Kappa value of individual item of the VQ-C was between 0.348 and 0.663, showing that the VQ-C had acceptable inter-rater reliability.
• There were differential item functioning (DIF) of the VQ-C for diagnosis and activity type.
• There were no correlations between the VQ-C and the other related measures revealed that VQ measures distinctive construct differing from symptoms and capability.

• The rating criteria of selected items need to be defined in more detail in order to reach consistent rating.
• There is a need to describe typical activity content and procedure to be observed for VQ ratings in order to provide standard settings.
• In order to apply VQ for a different population, there is needs to conduct psychometric study for different diagnostic groups with bigger sample size.

• The study suggested that the VQ-C had acceptable inter-rater reliability and can be used consistently by trained occupational therapists.


Chen, W. A. (2016). The Inter-rater Reliability of Volitional Questionnaire Chinese Version.[MasterThesis of the School of OccupationalTherapy,National TaiwanUniversity, unpublished].