Family Presence During Resuscitation Benefits-Risks Scale (FPDR-BRS): Instrument Development and Psychometric Validation

Abstract

Family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) is a growing health care practice; nevertheless, countless controversies surround this medical principle. Several studies have investigated the perceptions of health care professionals toward FPDR, yet psychometrically sound instruments assessing family members' perceptions of FPDR are scarce. Hence we aimed to develop and psychometrically validate the Family Presence During Resuscitation Benefits-Risks Scale (FPDR-BRS). Using a methodological design, an initial 27-item questionnaire was developed after extensive literature and theoretical review. Psychometric validation assessed content validity through a 2-step process involving expert nurses and doctors, basic item analysis, internal consistency using Cronbach's α, and construct validity via exploratory factor analysis. After acquiring Ethics Review Board approval, the FPDR-BRS was tested on 130 randomly selected eligible family members from a tertiary government hospital in the Philippines. The initial 27-item questionnaire was reduced to 23 items after content validation, yielding an item content validity index and scale content validity index/Ave rage of 1.00. Basic item analysis revealed acceptable inter-item and item-scale correlations. Exploratory factor analysis extracted 4 factors, namely, personnel risks, personal risks, insight-building benefits, and connection-forming benefits. Cronbach's α for the entire scale was 0.90, with high subscale reliability coefficients. The 23-item FPDR-BRS exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties and may be used to quantitatively measure a family member's perception towards witnessing the resuscitation of his or her significant other. Further comprehensive psychometric evaluations are warranted to ensure robust cross-cultural comparisons.