Photo Credit: Pornpak Khunatorn
The following is a summary of “Psychometric Evaluation of the Family Willingness for Caregiving Scale,” published in the May 2024 issue of Critical Care by Wilk et al.
The presence of mechanical ventilation during ICU stays can induce stress in patients’ family members and close friends. Assisting with caregiving tasks can alleviate this burden and facilitate their readiness for future caregiving responsibilities.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to create and assess the psychometric properties of the Family Willingness for Caregiving Scale (FWCS) and further investigated the associations between family members’ demographic characteristics and their willingness to engage in caregiving roles.
They followed DeVellis’s 8-step method to develop a new scale. The scale’s validity was assessed in 3 phases. The first 2 phases focused on establishing content and face validity, respectively. In the third phase, the FWCS was administered to selected family members visiting patients in the ICU.
The result confirmed both the scale’s content and face validity. The internal consistency reliability was deemed acceptable, and exploratory factor analysis indicated a singular factor structure encompassing physical and emotional/supportive care tasks. Notably, a significant disparity was observed in caregiving willingness between genders, with women exhibiting greater willingness than men.
Investigators concluded that FWCS showed potential for assessing family caregiving willingness in critical care. With further development, it could become a valuable tool for research and tailoring support for patients’ families in ICU.