Psychometric properties of the Group Climate Instrument (GCI) in individuals with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning.

E G Neimeijer,J J Roest,G H P Van Der Helm,R Didden

doi:10.1111/jir.12567

Abstract

BackgroundThis study examined the psychometric properties of the Group Climate Instrument (GCI) in a sample of N = 189 adults (79% men) with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning who were residents of a treatment facility in the Netherlands.MethodConstruct validity of the GCI was examined by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Also, reliability and convergent validity of the GCI were examined. We also examined the variability in perception of the living group climate between and within living groups by computing intraclass correlation coefficients.ResultsThe model contained four first‐order factors (support, growth, group atmosphere and repression) and a second‐order factor overall climate, providing preliminary support for construct validity of the GCI. Reliability coefficients were good for all factors. Preliminary evidence for convergent validity was found in significant moderate associations between subscales and single item ratings for the factors of group climate. The intraclass correlation coefficients indicated that a considerate proportion of variance can be attributed to between‐group differences.ConclusionsThe GCI might be used to assess perception of the living group climate for individuals with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning in psychiatric and forensic care settings, although further development of the GCI and replication of our findings seem necessary.

Highlights

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Group Climate Instrument (GCI) in a sample of N = 189 adults (79% men) with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning who were residents of a treatment facility in the Netherlands
There has been an extensive history of research into living group climate in residential settings for more than 50 years (Tonkin 2015)
As transactional processes between clients and sociotherapists and between clients make up a large part of the climate, we propose the perception of the living group climate to quality to be most salient in a living group level as opposed to individual or facility level

Summary

Introduction

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Group Climate Instrument (GCI) in a sample of N = 189 adults (79% men) with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning who were residents of a treatment facility in the Netherlands. Method Construct validity of the GCI was examined by means of confirmatory factor analysis. There has been an extensive history of research into living group climate in (secure) residential settings for more than 50 years (Tonkin 2015). The World Health Organization stated that climate is ‘the most important factor in efficacy of treatment’ administered to psychiatric patients in prison and forensic psychiatric hospital settings, including individuals with intellectual disability (Tonkin 2015). A therapeutic living group climate is essential for effective treatment in residential care.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion