Sammanfattning
Background: The Work Behavior Inventory (WBI) was developed in the USA for the assessment of
vocational functioning for people with severe mental illness. It is rated in a work setting by an
employment specialist through observation and an interview with the immediate supervisor. Aims:
The present study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the WBI.
Methods: The participants (n = 148) of the Job Management Program (JUMP) study for psychotic
disorders were assessed with the WBI around the fourth week of work. A principal component
analysis identified three substantial factors. Results: The three corresponding scales were termed
Social Skills revised, Work Quality revised and Compliance with work norms. The scales had a high
internal consistency. Correlations with the Social Functioning Scale, education and previous work
history supported the validity of the subscales. Conclusion: The results indicate that the Norwegian
version of the WBI maintains good psychometric properties, and that vocational functioning can be
reliably and validly assessed in a Norwegian setting. Clinical implications: There has been a lack of
validated assessment tools for this group in Norway. Functional assessment with the WBI provides a
comprehensive evaluation of the individuals’ strengths and challenges in the vocational setting, and
provides goals for the vocational rehabilitation.