Rasch Analysis of Lebanese Nurses’ Responses to the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale

Abstract

Background and Purpose: The purpose of our methodological study was to explore the psychometric properties of Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery (OFER) subscales. Methods: Rasch analyses of 366 Lebanese registered nurses’ responses to the Chronic Fatigue (CF), Acute Fatigue (AF), and Intershift Recovery (IR) subscales. Results: Disordered rating categories, response dependence, and possible differential item functioning (DIF). The data were a better fit to a 3-dimensional Rasch rating scale model; difference, χ2 = 104, df = 12, p = .01; unidimensional Akaike information criterion (AIC) = 11,925; multidimensional AIC = 11,821. Conclusion: Multidimensional analysis confirmed that the CF and AF subscales have sufficient reliability for use in exploratory studies of fatigue with English-speaking respondents in the Eastern Mediterranean region. An Arabic version of OFER subscales is required to facilitate future studies in Lebanon and the region. Norm values are reported to facilitate international comparisons.