Construct Validity of the Occupational Performance History Interview

Abstract

The Occupational Performance History Interview (OPHI) (Kielhofner, Henry, & Walens, 1989) was developed to gather reliable, valid data about individuals' past and present occupational performances. The construct validity of the OPHI was assessed in a study evaluating the long-term impact of spinal cord injury on the lives of 143 people. Subjects' scores on the OPHI were correlated with their scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977) and the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (Turk & Rudy, 1987). There was a significant negative correlation between the OPHI present and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Significant correlations in the expected directions also were obtained between the OPHI present scores and six of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory subscales. In addition, the OPHI past and present mean scores were significantly different, indicating that the instrument is sensitive to changes in occupational performance following traumatic spinal cord injury. These results support the construct validity of the OPHI, and therefore can increase therapists' confidence in using the instrument for diagnostic or therapeutic decision-making.