Content validity, reliability, and treatment outcomes of the Buettner assessment of needs, diagnoses, and interests for recreational therapy in long-term care (BANDI-RT)

Abstract

This three-phase project evaluated the content validity and test-retest reliability of an assessment tool aligned with the specific content areas of the Minimum Data Set 3.0. In phase I, 54 experts examined the content and made several suggestions for improvement of the tool. In phase II, recreational therapy (RT) students and experienced practitioners pilot tested the “Leisure History and Interest” checklist and interview section of the assessment. A total of 10 categories were found pertinent to interviewing residents about their recreational interests. In the final phase, 15 certified therapeutic recreation specialists tested and retested 45 residents and provided time-limited treatment. The test-retest reliability coefficient for the overall assessment was found to be very high at 0.93. Positive outcomes of RT treatment were found across all domains for the majority of residents.