Psychometric testing of the caring for the caregiver survey for healthcare providers

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the factorial structure and model fit of the Caring for the Caregiver Scale. Background: Caregiving is an all-encompassing role that results in negative health consequences. Healthcare providers require specific knowledge and clinical skills to support caregivers with health promotion. There is no instrument to measure healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices on assessing and supporting caregivers. The Healthcare Provider Caring for the Caregiver Scale was developed to identify gaps in healthcare providers' knowledge and clinical practices and help pinpoint areas where interventions may be necessary. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis and absolute fit measures were used to evaluate the factorial structure and model fit of the instrument. A multidimensional ordinal Rasch and differential item functioning test was used to fit a three-dimensional partial credit model and ensure the validity of the use of the instrument across subgroups. Results: A three-factor model was confirmed based on fit statistics and the clustering of the inter-item correlations. The composite measure across 30 items demonstrated strong internal consistency and excellent reliability. Item fit indices estimated from the Rasch model indicated an overall good fit except for two items showing a misfit. Conclusions: The Caring for the Caregiver Scale demonstrates sufficient factorial structure and model fit making it valuable in evaluating healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices with assessing and supporting caregivers. Data collected from this instrument may identify gaps in knowledge and clinical skills and guide intervention development that enhances healthcare providers' ability to deliver quality care to caregivers.