The Five-item Self-efficacy Scale for Support of Those Returning to Work (RTW) After Sick Leave (F-SES): Development, Reliability, and Validity

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to develop a psychological scale, the Five-item Self-Efficacy Scale for the support of those returning to work (RTW) after sick leave (F-SES) in light of the absence of mental health problems (MHPs). Methods: Twenty-two items about difficulties with RTW support were created and administered with a 5-point Likert scale: this was given to 302 Japanese employees who have work experience with demographics that are able to evaluate the validity of the scale. Results: Five items with appropriate internal consistency were extracted as the F-SES; this showed a positive correlation with self-evaluated support capability measured by a one-item scale, sex (male), full-time/self-employed, professional/technical occupations, current RTW support experience, and their own RTW experience, and a negative correlation with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and clerical/sales occupations. The interaction effect of RTW support and the GHQ-12 on F-SES were observed, suggesting that mental health might moderate RTW’s ability to promote self-efficacy, or that the experience of RTW support might moderate the effect of mental health to promote self-efficacy. Conclusions: Although these variables pose some challenges for continuous validity examination, F-SES appears to have appropriate reliability and validity and was therefore suggested to promote practice and research in support of RTW.