Validation of Lam assessment of employment readiness (C-LASER) for Chinese injured workers

Introduction: The Stage-of-Change Model offers a theoretical framework for understanding people's intention to change. The Lam Assessment of Stages of Employment Readiness (LASER) was developed to measure one's psychological readiness to return to work after an extended period of unemployment due to disability. Method: The present study aimed to validate the Chinese version of LASER using a sample of Chinese industrial injured workers. Ninety subjects with previous history of work-related injuries participated in the study. Results: Principal component analysis revealed a two-factor solution which was found different from the original three-factor structure of LASER. Test retest reliability (ICC) ranged from 0.55 to 0.79. Findings suggested that human capital factors of the workers did not seem to contribute significantly to the participants' readiness to return-to-work. Instead, the perceived pain levels became the major contributing factor. Discussion: The Chinese version LASER was useful for reflecting the readiness of injured workers returning to work. However, the pathology associated with the injuries together with the workers' compensation system might influence the process of change which warrants further study area.