A family-specific use of the Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers (MPOC-SP).
OBJECTIVE
To examine the validity and utility of the Dutch Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers (MPOC-SP) as a family-specific measure.


METHODS
A validation study.


METHODS
Five paediatric rehabilitation settings in the Netherlands.


METHODS
The MPOC-SP was utilized in a general (reflecting on services provided for all clients and clients' families) and family-specific way (filled out in reference to a particular child and his or her family).


METHODS
Professionals providing rehabilitation and educational services to children with cerebral palsy.


METHODS
For construct validity, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients (r ) between the scales were calculated. The ability of service providers to discriminate between general and family-specific ratings was examined by exploration of absolute difference scores.


RESULTS
One hundred and sixteen service professionals filled out 240 family-specific MPOC-SPs. In addition, a subgroup of 81 professionals filled out a general MPOC-SP. For each professional, family-specific and general scores were paired, resulting in 151 general-family-specific MPOC-SP pairs. The construct validity analyses confirmed the scale structure: 21 items (77.8%) loaded highest in the original MPOC-SP factors, and all items correlated best and significantly with their own scale score (r 0.565 to 0.897; P<0.001). Intercorrelations between the scales ranged from r = 0.159 to r = 0.522. In total, 94.4% of the mean absolute difference scores between general and family-specific scale scores were larger than the expected difference.


CONCLUSIONS
Service providers were able to discriminate between general and family-specific MPOC-SP item ratings. The family-specific MPOC-SP is a valid measure that can be used for individual evaluation of family-centred services and can be the impetus for family-related quality improvement.
Siebes
R C
RC
Department of General and Special Education, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. R.Siebes@fss.uu.nl
Nijhuis
B J G
BJ
Boonstra
A M
AM
Ketelaar
M
M
Wijnroks
L
L
Reinders-Messelink
H A
HA
Postema
K
K
Vermeer
A
A
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010348:Patient Care Team; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires