title: Development and assessment of the validity and reliability of a scale for measuring the mentoring competencies of Japanese clinical midwives: An exploratory quantitative research study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Midwives are always involved in educational activities whenever novice midwives are present. Although various scales for measuring the educational competencies of nurses have already been developed in previous studies, a scale for the educational competencies particular to midwives has yet to be developed, or even no previous studies have revealed their functions as clinical educators.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure the mentoring competencies of clinical midwives (MCCM Scale) and to confirm its validity and reliability.
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory quantitative research study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were distributed to 1,645 midwives at 148 facilities who had previously instructed novice midwives. 1,004 midwives (61.0%) voluntarily returned valid responses and 296 (18.0%) voluntarily agreed to participate in the survey for test-retest reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exploratory factor analyses were performed over 41 items and the following seven factors were extracted with a reliability coefficient (Cronbach's α) of 0.953: (i) supporting experimental study, (ii) personal characteristics particularly in clinical educators, (iii) thoughtfulness and empathy for new midwives, (iv) self-awareness and self-reflection for finding confidence, (v) making effective use of the new midwives' own experience, (vi) commitment to educational activities, and (vii) sharing their midwifery practice. Test-retest reliability was measured based on a convenience sample of 246 (83.1%). Pearson's test-retest correlation coefficient for the entire scale was r=0.863. The factor loadings of each item on its respective factor were 0.313-0.925. The total score of the MCCM Scale was positively correlated with that of the Quality of Nurses' Occupational Experience Scale (r=0.641, p=0.000) and was negatively correlated with the total score of the Japanese Burnout Scale (r=-0.480, p=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MCCM Scale is composed of 41 items and three subscales measured from a total of seven factors. The validity and reliability of the MCCM Scale was supported by the statistical analyses.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan University, 7-2-10 Higashi-Ogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-8551, Japan. Electronic address: yuri_hs@tmu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hishinuma
authors.affiliation: St Luke's International University, 10-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0044, Japan. Electronic address: shigeko-horiuchi@slcn.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shigeko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
authors.affiliation: St Luke's International University, 10-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0044, Japan. Electronic address: hyanai@slcn.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Educational measurement; Factor analysis; Mentor; Mentoring competency; Midwife; Scale development; Validity and reliability