Adaptation and validation of the cardiovascular version of the Return-to-Work Obstacles and Self-Efficacy Scale (ROSES-CVD) to the Italian context

Purpose: Effective cardiac rehabilitation interventions must provide adequate support to overcome psychosocial return-to-work (RTW) barriers. No validated instrument is available for this aim for cardiovascular patients. The Return-to-work Obstacles and Self-Efficacy Scale (ROSES) measures RTW obstacles workers perceive and the self-efficacy for overcoming them through 46 items and ten dimensions. This study aimed to adapt and validate ROSES for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Italian context. Methods: This prospective study involved 183 CVD working patients at baseline and 121 six months later. ROSES-CVD internal consistency, construct, and predictive validity was evaluated with Cronbach’s α, Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and ANCOVAs. Results: CFAs adequately replicated the original ROSES model (CFI =.92–.96; TLI =.91–.94; RMSEA =.042–.057; SRMR =.046–.071) with α close or higher than.70 for all dimensions. Four ROSES-CVD dimensions significantly predicted the number of days to RTW controlling for age, gender, educational level, and surgery type. Workers who perceived salient RTW obstacles and low self-efficacy in any of these dimensions in mean returned to work from 38 to 53 days later. Conclusions: The study supported the validity and reliability of ROSES-CVD. This tool can be used in rehabilitation to detect CVD patients at risk of a longer RTW process and define appropriate cardiac rehabilitation intervention.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Vocational rehabilitation interventions should provide tailor-made support to overcome RTW barriers based on individual risk assessment The Italian translation of ROSES-CVD is a valid and reliable tool to measure psychosocial barriers to RTW among CVD working patients The use of ROSES-CVD would allow detection of CVD patients at risk of longer RTW process Administering ROSES-CVD can help focus traditional vocational intervention on individually relevant obstacles to RTW.