Caring Behaviors Inventory: a reduction of the 42-item instrument.
BACKGROUND
Caring traditionally has been at the center of nursing. Effectively measuring the process of nurse caring is vital in nursing research. A short, less burdensome dimensional instrument for patients' use is needed for this purpose.


OBJECTIVE
To derive and validate a shorter Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI) within the context of the 42-item CBI.


METHODS
The responses to the 42-item CBI from 362 hospitalized patients were used to develop a short form using factor analysis. A test-retest reliability study was conducted by administering the shortened CBI to new samples of patients (n = 64) and nurses (n = 42).


RESULTS
Factor analysis yielded a 24-item short form (CBI-24) that (a) covers the four major dimensions assessed by the 42-item CBI, (b) has internal consistency (alpha =.96) and convergent validity (r =.62) similar to the 42-item CBI, (c) reproduces at least 97% of the variance of the 42 items in patients and nurses, (d) provides statistical conclusions similar to the 42-item CBI on scoring for caring behaviors by patients and nurses, (e) has similar sensitivity in detecting between-patient difference in perceptions, (f) obtains good test-retest reliability (r = .88 for patients and r=.82 for nurses), and (g) confirms high internal consistency (alpha >.95) as a stand-alone instrument administered to the new samples.


CONCLUSIONS
CBI-24 appears to be equivalent to the 42-item CBI in psychometric properties, validity, reliability, and scoring for caring behaviors among patients and nurses. These results recommend the use of CBI-24 to reduce response burden and research costs.
Wu
Ying
Y
West Virginia University School of Nursing, Morgantown, WV 26506-9640, USA. ywu@hsc.wvu.edu
Larrabee
June H
JH
Putman
Heidi P
HP
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D011594:Psychometrics; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014903:West Virginia