Developing empowering health counseling measurement. Preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes the derivation of an instrument (Empowering Speech Practices Scale) for assessing the empowerment of dyadic counseling, the evaluation of the validity and reliability of the ESPS and the results acquired with the instrument from hospital counseling.


METHODS
ESPS was constructed on the basis of empowerment theory and foregoing conversation analytic research. Nurses and patients assessed the same counseling session by way of parallel statements. Structure and reliability of the scale were evaluated with Cronbach alpha, percentage of agreement, factor analysis and logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
According to these preliminary results, ESPS described the realization of empowerment, directing attention to patient participation. By means of the scale, we assessed 127 counseling sessions and found evidence of the realization of empowering counseling. According to the results, nurses were the most successful in constructing a positive emotional atmosphere and in giving information.


CONCLUSIONS
We found evidence that nurses need to improve the active mutuality of the counseling relationship by asking for patients' opinions and views, by facilitating the patients' assessment of their personal health and their participation in decision-making and coming up with options for their individual treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The developed scale can be utilized, in addition to assessing the quality in hospital care, for improving nursing education programs. Further study is needed to evaluate the usability of the scale and to examine its stability and validity.
University of Jyväskylä, Research Center for Health Promotion, Jyväskylä, Finland. tarja.kettunen@jamsanth.fi
Tarja
T
Kettunen
Leena
L
Liimatainen
Jari
J
Villberg
Ulla
U
Perko
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards*; D003657:Decision Making; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*