title: Measurement of mothers' confidence  to care for children assisted with tracheostomy technology in family homes.
abstract: The purpose of this research was to develop an objective, linear measure of mothers' confidence to care for children assisted with tracheostomy medical technology in their homes. Caregiver confidence is addressed in this research for three technologies, namely, a) trachesotomy, b) tracheostomy and ventilator, and c) BiPAP/CPAP although detailed measurement results are only reported for tracheostomy, and its co-calibration with tracheostomy and ventilator caregiving items. The sample consisted of 53 mothers responding to several caregiver questionnaires based on a caregiving task matrix after content and clinical validation. A major challenge was integrating this construct with overarching principles already established by Functional Caregiving, a multi-level humanistic caregiving model for children with intellectual disabilities. Empirical analyses included principal components analysis, and then linear transformation of Tracheostomy item ratings to an objective, equal-interval scale with a Rasch model. Results show caregiver separation on the Tracheostomy caregiving scale was 2.66 and reliability, .88. In general, co-calibration improved measurement properties without affecting mothers' caregiving confidence measures. Although sample size was small, measuring mothers' confidence to care for a child supported by complex medical technologies appears very promising.
authors.affiliation: Measurement and Evaluation Consulting, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bezruczko
authors.forename: Shu-Pi C
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Constance D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Joyce M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chesniak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000451:nursing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult