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Validation of Lam assessment of employment readiness (C-LASER) for Chinese injured workers

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Abstract

Introduction: The Stage-of-Change Model offers a theoretical framework for understanding people’s intention to change. The Lam Assessment of Stages of Employment Readiness (LASER) was developed to measure one’s psychological readiness to return to work after an extended period of unemployment due to disability. Method: The present study aimed to validate the Chinese version of LASER using a sample of Chinese industrial injured workers. Ninety subjects with previous history of work-related injuries participated in the study. Results: Principal component analysis revealed a two-factor solution which was found different from the original three-factor structure of LASER. Test retest reliability (ICC) ranged from 0.55 to 0.79. Findings suggested that human capital factors of the workers did not seem to contribute significantly to the participants’ readiness to return-to-work. Instead, the perceived pain levels became the major contributing factor. Discussion: The Chinese version LASER was useful for reflecting the readiness of injured workers returning to work. However, the pathology associated with the injuries together with the workers’ compensation system might influence the process of change which warrants further study area.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank The Hong Kong Workers’ Health Centre for the joint collaboration of this study, Mr. K.L. Leung, Mr. Patrick So, Mr. Frank Lai, Mr. Johnathan Chow, Mr. Ken Chung and Mr. Eric Fung for contributing their time and effort in the expert panel review, Mr. Yanwen Xu and Mr. Jiaqi Li for their effort on data collection. We would also like to thank all the participants of this project. This study would not have been possible without their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, HK, China

    Henky Chan & Cecilia W. P. Li-Tsang

  2. Ergonomics and Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, HK, China

    Chetwyn Chan

  3. Institute of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, US

    Chow Shing Lam & Christine Bard

  4. Hong Kong Worker’s Health Centre, Hong Kong, HK, China

    Karen Lo Hui

  5. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

    Cecilia W. P. Li-Tsang

Authors
  1. Henky Chan
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  2. Cecilia W. P. Li-Tsang
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  3. Chetwyn Chan
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  4. Chow Shing Lam
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  5. Karen Lo Hui
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  6. Christine Bard
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cecilia W. P. Li-Tsang.

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Chan, H., Li-Tsang, C.W.P., Chan, C. et al. Validation of Lam assessment of employment readiness (C-LASER) for Chinese injured workers. J Occup Rehabil 16, 697–705 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-006-9050-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-006-9050-3

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