Abstract
Citation
Duncan MJ, Rashid M, Vandelanotte C, Cutumisu N, Plotnikoff RC. Development and reliability testing of a self-report instrument to measure the office layout as a correlate of occupational sitting. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2013 Feb 4;10:16.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Spatial configurations of office environments assessed by Space Syntax methodologies are related to employee movement patterns. These methods require analysis of floors plans which are not readily available in large population-based studies or otherwise unavailable. Therefore a self-report instrument to assess spatial configurations of office environments using four scales was developed. METHODS: The scales are: local connectivity (16 items), overall connectivity (11 items), visibility of co-workers (10 items), and proximity of co-workers (5 items). A panel cohort (N = 1154) completed an online survey, only data from individuals employed in office-based occupations (n = 307) were used to assess scale measurement properties. To assess test-retest reliability a separate sample of 37 office-based workers completed the survey on two occasions 7.7 (±3.2) days apart. Redundant scale items were eliminated using factor analysis; Chronbach's α was used to evaluate internal consistency and test re-test reliability (retest-ICC). ANOVA was employed to examine differences between office types (Private, Shared, Open) as a measure of construct validity. Generalized Linear Models were used to examine relationships between spatial configuration scales and the duration of and frequency of breaks in occupational sitting. RESULTS: The number of items on all scales were reduced, Chronbach's α and ICCs indicated good scale internal consistency and test re-test reliability: local connectivity (5 items; α = 0.70; retest-ICC = 0.84), overall connectivity (6 items; α = 0.86; retest-ICC = 0.87), visibility of co-workers (4 items; α = 0.78; retest-ICC = 0.86), and proximity of co-workers (3 items; α = 0.85; retest-ICC = 0.70). Significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences, in theoretically expected directions, were observed for all scales between office types, except overall connectivity. Significant associations were observed between all scales and occupational sitting behaviour (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: All scales have good measurement properties indicating the instrument may be a useful alternative to Space Syntax to examine environmental correlates of occupational sitting in population surveys.
Full Text
The full text is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-16
At A Glance
Physical Activity Environment Variables
| # | Type of Environment/Location |
|---|---|
| 307 | Worksites |
| # | Scale |
|---|---|
| 307 | Building |
| Measure | objective | perceived |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity of office spaces, integration of office spaces, visibility of co-workers, proximity of co-workers | ✔ | ✘ |
Domain(s)
Physical Activity Environment
Measure Type
Questionnaire
Measure Availability
Measure included in article
Number of Items
42 Reported
Study location
Not Reported
Australia
Languages
English
Information about Development of Measure
All items in the Office Environment and Sitting Scale (OFFESS) were initially developed by the lead author based on literature on the measurement and analysis of spatial configurations of locations. Clarification of wording and ambiguous terminology in items was conducted following a review by two of the authors with knowledge of architecture, human behavior theory, and experience in applying Space Syntax--an analytic technique that can characterize the shape of office environments to examine the spatial configuration of locations.
Study Design
Study Participants
Age
Adults
Sex
Female
Male
Race/Ethnicity
Not reported
Predominantly Low-income/Low-SES
No
Sample Size
307
Study Design
Design Type
Validation/Reliability
Health Outcomes Assessed
None
Obesity Measures
BMI for age
BMI Measured or Self-reported
Self-reported height
Self-reported weight
Covariates
Other health-related behaviors (e.g., tobacco use, substance use)
Physical health status
Data Reported on Race/Ethnicity
Quantitative data on study sample
Data Reported on SES
Quantitative data on study sample
SES-related Variables
Income
Education
How To Use
Administration
Who Administered
Self-administered
How Administered
Web-based
Time Required
Not reported
Training Required
Not reported
Instructions on Use
Instructions on instrument use included in article
Data Analysis
Data Collection/Analysis Costs
Not reported
Data Collection/Protocol
In phase one, telephone numbers of participants were drawn from listings of land line telephone numbers held by the Population Research Laboratory. Participants were emailed an invitation to take part in an online survey to collect information on socio-demographic details, health outcomes and behaviors, and office environment. The preliminary Office Environment and Sitting Scale (OFFESS) items, items on job autonomy, physical activity, the frequency of travel, and the distance from the workstation of twelve destinations in the workplace were included. Sitting behaviors in leisure time were also assessed using items based on previously-developed instruments. In phase two participants were recruited by email to complete the survey on two separate occasions, one week apart. Non-responders to the second survey were prompted via email up to five times to complete the survey.
Instructions on Data Analysis
Instructions on analysis included in article
Validity (0)
There are no validity tests reported for this measure.
Reliability (2)
| Type of reliability | Construct/subscale assessed | Test/statistic used | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test-retest | Office Environment and Sitting Scale, refined scales | Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) | ICC = 0.70 to 0.86 |
| Internal Consistency | Office Environment and Sitting Scale, refined scales | Chronbach's alpha | Alpha = 0.70 to 0.86 |