The Measurement of Disability-Related Stress in Wheelchair Users

Abstract 

Furlong M, Connor JP. The measurement of disability-related stress in wheelchair users.

Objective

To measure disability-related stress through the development of the Physical Disability Stress Scale (PDSS) for wheelchair users.

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

General community.

Participants

Sample of 119 wheelchair users with an acquired physical disability.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

General Health Questionnaire−28 (GHQ) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) (Australian version).

Results

Factor analysis of PDSS items revealed 4 main factors of disability-related stress: access accounted for 33.7% of the variance, physical for 8.4% of the variance, social for 7.9% of the variance, and burden of care for 7.2% of the variance. Internal consistencies for the 4 factors were within acceptable ranges (α range, .78−.83). Concurrent validity was shown with the PDSS factors predicting 7% to 23% of the variance in GHQ subscales and total score and 12% to 31% of the WHOQOL-BREF subscales. Participants scoring in the GHQ psychiatric group showed significantly higher stress levels on the physical, social, and burden of care factors of the PDSS compared with the GHQ nonpsychiatric group.

Conclusions

The results suggest the PDSS factors are valid measures of disability-related stress with potential for clinical and research applications. Confirmatory factor analyses with larger sample sizes of wheelchair users are required to establish consistency in the measurement of disability-related stress.

Key Words: Psychometrics, Questionnaires, Rehabilitation, Spinal injuries, Stress