Posted: December 29th, 2022

Endicott Work Productivity Scale (EWPS) psychiatric assessment tool essay

There are many mental health illnesses or disorders that play a part into choosing the right tool to use for that particular person. Therefore, the PMHNP needs to be knowledgeable about the different types that are provided. The assessment tool Endicott Work Productivity Scale (EWPS) is one of the many tools used in psychotherapy. The EWPS is a psychiatric assessment tool that measures a person’s sensitivity in work productivity. It measures how a person’s mental illness will or can affect their ability to function while working. It includes measuring performance ability, attendance and presenteeism, sickness and overall productivity at the workplace. The scale rates 0 (no difficulty) to 4 (always difficult) and consists of 25 questions at five points each, that is done by the person himself. It is based on a five point Linkert scale. The scale ranges from 0 at best to 100 being worst. Once completed the total score is based on the person’s subjective feelings, behaviors or attitudes they may have had before the questionnaire (Noben et al., 2014). It is best to use the EWPS tool when information is needed about the person’s effect of work activity and productivity, when they are not performing at their best. In regards to their behavior, performance, feelings and thought processes while working. It also helps to assess the progress of the psychopharm medications the person is taking and how it affects their illness and ability (Boezeman et al., 2016).

The development of EWPS was done in 1994 by Jean Endicott and research was conducted to show the psychometric properties of EWPS. There were two groups one with the community (66 people) and the other with patients with depressive disorder (42 people) and receiving treatment. Fifty percent of the depressed patients were female of an average age of 41 years old and 70 percent were nondepressed females in the community sample. The community’s age was not reported. There was not a manual reported. The samples were appropriate in composition for preliminary test validation but not inadequate in size. The total score is based on the degree to which behaviors and subjective feelings or attitudes that are likely to reduce productivity and efficiency in work activities characterize the subject during the week before evaluation. Although the study needed a bigger sample size for both the community and the depressed, the results had shown a significant mean difference. The EWPS scale has proven to be accurate but also biased with the results. But overall in most cases the study had shown that the EWPS was an appropriate tool to use for people to measure sensitivity of work productivity (Endicott, 1994).

References

Boezeman, E. J., Nieuwenhuijsen, K., & Sluiter, J. K. (2016). Predictive value and construct validity of the work functioning screener‐healthcare (WFS‐H). Journal of Occupational Health, 58(2), 163-169. https://doi.org/10.1539/joh.15-0056-oa

Endicott, J. (1994). Endicott Work Productivity Scale.

Noben, C. Y., Evers, S., Nijhuis, F. J., & De Rijk, A. E. (2014). Quality appraisal of generic self-reported instruments measuring health-related productivity changes: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-115

response

Thank you for your informative post about the Endicott Work Productivity Scale (EWPS). This was an assessment tool that I was unfamiliar with so I really enjoyed reading your overview and thoughts on this particular tool. I like that the scale assesses efficiency as well as productivity; this is especially helpful as more and more companies move to a work from home model and use a productivity metric to assess employee’s work.  (Endicott, 1997).

As the mental health field moves forward in, what I believe to be, a positive direction, the understanding of the facets of life that a mental health diagnosis can have becomes clearer. For example, an individual suffering from depression can certainly work in a full time position however, their ability to focus or work at the same speed as others may be impaired. Since depression can include difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions, it only makes sense that this could potentially include a patient’s work.

I also believe that utilizing an evidence based assessment tool would assist in providing the patient’s employee with data driven information as to why the employee may require some accommodations or a personalized productivity scale.

References

Endicott, J., & Nee, J. (1997). Endicott Work Productivity Scale (EWPS): a new measure to assess treatment effects. Psychopharmacology bulletin, 33(1), 13–16.

National Institute of Mental Health (2020). Depression Basics. Retrieved September 12, 2020 from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml