Establishing the convergent and divergent validity of the Return-to-Work Assessment Scale among poststroke survivors

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, for which the concept of return to work (RTW) plays a crucial role in rehabilitation. The RTW Assessment Scale (RAS) was first developed to assess RTW among poststroke survivors; however, its validity requires further investigation. This cross-sectional study therefore aimed to determine the convergent and divergent validity of the RAS among poststroke survivors in Southeastern Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study in Southeast Nigeria evaluated the convergent and divergent validity of the RAS in 101 poststroke survivors. The purposive sampling technique was used to select eligible individuals from several randomly selected locations. Consecutive participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were used for data analysis. Results: The RAS exhibited strong convergent validity with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule scores ( r = −0.874 to −0.529), indicating a significant relationship between RTW and overall disability. We further observed a weak negative correlation between the RAS scores and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, with correlation coefficients ( r ) ranging from r = −0.371 to −0.235, indicating a lesser association between RTW and pain perception of VAS, suggesting divergent validity of RAS. Conclusion: The study concluded that the RAS demonstrated strong convergent and divergent validity, affirming its reliability in assessing RTW among poststroke survivors.