How do the particular characteristics of less-educated employees with disabilities impact survey implementation?

Work. 2020;65(4):707-719. doi: 10.3233/WOR-203125.

Abstract

Background: Employees with disabilities make up a significant share of the working population. The group of employees covered by this study is hard to include in research and yet must be researched due to the vulnerable position it holds in the labour market. The topic is quite complex.

Objective: The article's main goal is to demonstrate how to implement a survey and adapt a questionnaire for assessing competencies and motivation for training and career changes among older and less-educated employees who have disabilities.

Methods: In the paper, we discuss the approach to adapting a questionnaire and a survey by undertaking an extensive process of different testing and adaptation stages that is presented in the article.

Results: We highlight some obstacles that employees with disabilities face when participating in surveys due to their low literacy skills, as well as low self-esteem, accessibility issues and other general methodological issues in the context of our population. Potential solutions gathered from all phases of the adaptation process are discussed.

Conclusions: Proper survey implementation and questionnaire modification must be ensured if researchers aim to increase the willingness of individuals with disabilities to participate in the survey and to gather quality results.

Keywords: Questionnaire adaptation; competencies assessment; employees with disabilities; employment changes; motivation; survey implementation; training.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Disabled Persons / classification*
  • Disabled Persons / psychology*
  • Disabled Persons / statistics & numerical data
  • Educational Status*
  • Employment
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Literacy / psychology
  • Literacy / standards
  • Literacy / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Motivation
  • Self-Assessment
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / standards
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / statistics & numerical data