Palliative Care Psychology Training Needs Assessment Instrument: Design and validation

Abstract

Introduction. Psychologists have a relevant role in the comprehensive management of palliative care patients and their families, so they must have specific competencies to provide psychological care at different levels of health care. Objective: To design an Instrument for the Detection of Training Needs in Palliative Care Psychology (IDNCPsic-CP) and to analyze validity and reliability. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey for psychologists working in Palliative Care Units/Services in Mexico. Convenience sampling was used. Results: The total sample was 132 psychology professionals. The final version of the IDNCPsic-CP consisted of 122 items divided into general characteristics of the psychologist and the institution, process of care and Detection of Training Needs was made up of 3 subscales: a) Relevance, where in the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) it was grouped into 7 factors (cronbach’s alpha of .930), and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) only 4 were confirmed. b) Frequency where EFA identified 4 factors, (cronbach’s alpha of .977), and in CFA the following adjustment indexes: χ2/gl= 1.784; CFI .917; TLI=.908, SRMR=.054 and RMSEA =.077; and c) Self-perception of skills with a single factor, (Cronbach’s alpha=0.945), the AFC with fit indices: χ2/gl= 1.519; CFI=0.994; TLI=0.987, SRMR=0.023 and RMSEA=0.063. Conclusions: The IDCNPsic-CP has high validity, reliability, and fit scores, which confirm that the instrument has the psychometric properties for use.