Development of new evidence-based practice self-assessment (EBPSA) for occupational therapists

Abstract

Background: EBP knowledge and skills are needed to provide effective occupational therapy to efficiently and effectively achieve meaningful work for clients. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a new EBP self-assessment (EBPSA) for occupational therapists in Japan. Methods: A questionnaire was sent out by mail to 1,216 occupational therapists working in convalescent rehabilitation wards in Japan. Results: A total of 531 occupational therapists (43.7% response rate) responded, which included 515 valid responses. Factor analysis was conducted, and 14 items with 4 factors were extracted. The model goodness of fit was CFI=.972, TLI=.965, and RMSEA=.048. Cronbach’s α for the subscales and the overall scale were all greater than .80. Other analyses using item response theory and examinations of discriminant validity and convergent validity were also generally favorable. Conclusion: The EBPSA was conducted with good scale characteristics, and future studies will examine the test-retest reliability of the EBPSA and to study its transferability to new participants, domains, and occupations, as well as the reproducibility of the factor structure.