Translation and validation of caring behaviors inventory among nurses in Iran

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nurses’ caring behaviors, professional activities, and behaviors for the benefit of patients, influence patients’ perception of care and satisfaction with the quality of care provided. Caring behaviors of nurses are contextual and various factors such as patients’ social structure, lifestyle, culture, and interests, as well as their biographical, social, and physiological characteristics, can influence perceptions of caring behaviors of nurses, as caring behaviors are an interactive and mental process between patients and nurses. This study was conducted to provide a transcultural translation and psychometric analysis of Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI) among nurses in Iran. METHODOLOGY: Transcultural translation of the 16-item CBI was performed. Then, face validity (qualitative), content validity (quantitative and qualitative), and construct validity were examined in a cross-sectional study of 509 patients. A demographic questionnaire and the 16-item CBI were sent to enrolled patients via online questionnaires. The reliability of the instrument was assessed by internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha. Then, construct validity of the single factor CBI was assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Since one factor CBI was not confirmed, construct validity was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The final number of factors was confirmed using CFA. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the instrument was good with Cronbach’s alpha 0.89. Based on EFA, the CBI were loaded on two factors, eigenvalues >1, no item was removed. The emergent factors were named "Communicating respectfully" and "Professional knowledge and skill". These two factors explained 50.197% of the total variance. Then, CFA showed an acceptable fit for the two factors CBI. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the Persian version of the 16-item CBI had adequate validity and reliability. Accordingly, this instrument can be used to study nurses’ caring behaviors.