Rating scale analysis and psychometric properties of the Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale for Transfers.

Parents and caregivers faced with the challenges of transferring children with disability are at risk of musculoskeletal injuries and/or emotional stress. The Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale for Transfers (CSEST) is a 14-item questionnaire that measures self-efficacy for transferring under common conditions. The CSEST yields reliable data and valid inferences; however, its rating scale structure has not been evaluated for utility. The aims of this study were to evaluate the category response structure of the CSEST, test the utility of a revised rating scale structure, and confirm its psychometric properties. The Rasch Measurement Model was used for all analyses. Subjects included 175 adult caregivers recruited from multiple communities. Results confirm that a revised five-category rating scale structure yields reliable data and valid inferences. Given the relationship between self-efficacy and risk of physical and/or emotional stress, measuring parental self-efficacy for transfers is a proactive process in rehabilitation.

Development and psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy Scale for transfers for caregivers of children requiring transfer assistance.

OBJECTIVE: To test the psychometric properties of a newly developed measure of caregiver self-efficacy, the Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale for Transfers (CSEST), a 14-item questionnaire that measures the perceived self-efficacy of adult caregivers of dependent children and focuses on their perceived abilities and the challenges of assisting a child with restricted transfer ability. DESIGN: Reliability and validity study using survey data. SETTING: Community-based survey study. PARTICIPANTS: Adult caregivers (eg, mother, father, grandparent) of dependent minors who require transfer assistance. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Using the Rasch measurement model, the CSEST was tested for reliability and separation, validity (hierarchical and content), and factor structure. RESULTS: The CSEST yields data with sufficient reliability (reliability indices of .96 and .94 for respondents and items, respectively) as well as sufficient separation of levels of self-efficacy (item separation index, 4.13; person separation index, 5.23). The CSEST has a stable hierarchical structure with adequate content validity (standardized chi2 fit statistics <2.0) and point biserial correlations greater than .67. Factor analysis confirmed 2 insubstantial subscales; the 14-item CSEST accounted for greater than 85% of the total variance. CONCLUSIONS: The CSEST yields reliable data and valid inferences of self-efficacy from adult caregivers of children requiring transfer assistance. The CSEST may identify areas of need and/or difficulty with transfers for parents caring for dependent children.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy: partners in rehabilitation for persons with movement impairments.

SUMMARY The professions of physical therapy and occupational therapy have legitimate roles in the restoration of human movement in the rehabilitation process. This paper first presents a physical therapy perspective on changing trends in therapeutic exercise. Recent trends in physical therapy reflect a shift away from isolating patterns of movement and open kinetic chain exercises toward a new emphasis on functional patterns of movement and closed kinetic chain exercises. Rehabilitation of persons with hip fracture is used as an example of these shifting trends. Next, the paper presents an occupational therapy perspective. Occupational therapy's historical emphasis on the use of naturalistic occupations as the context for therapeutic exercise is described. Theoretical advantages of occupationally embedded movement are listed, and recent research in support of naturalistic occupations is summarized. Physical therapy and occupational therapy are distinct professions with autonomous outlooks and terminologies, but the responsibilities of physical therapists and occupational therapists potentially overlap in the restoration of movement. Suggestions are made for interdisciplinary teamwork whereby the holistically considered welfare of the patient is always the primary concern of all therapists.