Development and Validation of a Life Participation Self-Assessment Tool for People Living with Obesity: The Life Participation Impact Questionnaire (LPIQ-O)

Purpose: Obesity is a chronic condition affecting over 40% of adults in the U.S. Given the well-documented impact of obesity on life participation, a comprehensive, population-specific assessment tool is needed. We aimed to establish the face and content validity of the Life Participation Impact Questionnaire for People with Obesity (LPIQ-O), an occupation-focused assessment tool measuring the impact of obesity on areas of life participation. Method: This study included seven iterative phases: (a) literature review, (b) interviews, (c) synthesis of the literature review and interviews, (d) item development, (e) expert validation, (f) face validation, and (g) final expert review. Six participants participated in the content validity portion of the study, and four participants in the face validity portion. All participants completed a confidential online survey to provide feedback on the LPIQ-O after a thorough review. The content validity index (CVI) and the face validity index (FVI) were calculated at the item and scale levels. Results: The S-CVI/Average of 0.95, S-CVI/Universal-Agreement of 0.80, and S-FVI/Ave of 0.92 indicated good agreement for content and face validity. Given the I-CVI and I-FVI >0.75 for all items, none were removed; however, items with I-CVI/FVI <1 or associated with feedback were examined and modified as appropriate for increased clarity and comprehensiveness. Conclusion: With the initial face and content validity established, the LPIQ-O fills an important gap in the assessment of clients with obesity. Through further refinement, the LPIQ-O may become a standard in bariatric evaluation. Being designed for interdisciplinary use, the LPIQ-O also serves as a screening tool to determine the need for occupational therapy services. Plain Language Summary: Obesity is a long-lasting health issue that can make daily life harder. We need an assessment to understand how it affects people. We created a survey called the Life Participation Impact Questionnaire for People with Obesity (LPIQ‑O) to help with this. It works well. With more research, it could become a regular part of care. Healthcare providers can use it to see how obesity affects daily activities and decide if someone should be referred to occupational therapy.