Development and Evaluation of a New Questionnaire for Rating of Cognitive Failures at Work

Cognitive-based human errors have major contribution to performance and safety in working environment. This study designed to develop a measurement tool in order to evaluate this type of errors in the occupational settings. An Occupational Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (OCFQ) was developed. Content validity of the OCFQ was performed using a quantitative approach. Reliability of questionnaire was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest methods. A preliminary list of 35-items was prepared as a starting point. After evaluation of validity, five items were rejected. The new measurement instrument with 30-items was finally developed. The content validity index (CVI) for the final OCFQ was found acceptable (CVI=0.7). Results show that final OCFQ was internally consistent (α=96) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) was 0.99. Measurement of cognitive failure in the workplace requires a valid and reliable tool. In respect to probable outcomes of cognitive failures occurrence at work, the present study suggested that OCFQ would be a useful instrument for measurement of cognitive failure in the working environment.