05 Dec Article Adaptation and validation the Spanish version

Article

Adaptation and validation the Spanish version of the

Communication Styles Inventory for nursing

María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes 1,*, María del Mar Molero Jurado 1, María del Mar Simón

Márquez 1, África Martos Martínez 1, Ana Belén Barragán Martín 1, and José Jesús Gázquez

Linares 1,2

1 University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; [email protected] (M.d.M.M.J.); [email protected] (M.d.M.S.M.); [email protected] (A.M.M.); [email protected] (A.B.B.M.); [email protected] (J.J.G.L.)

2 Universidad Autónoma de Chile, 4780000 Santiago, Chile * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +34‐950015598

Abstract: (1) Background: Healthcare attention is sometimes considered purely technical, but

communication has proven to be closely related to clinical results and patient satisfaction. Therefore,

evaluation of communication in the scope of healthcare is a priority. The purpose of this study was

to validate and adapt, if necessary, the Spanish version of the Communication Styles Inventory (CSI)

in a sample of nursing professionals. (2) Methods: The sample was made up of 2313 nursing

professionals selected at random from various medical centers in Spain, and is therefore a sample

actively employed at the time data were acquired. We started out from the Communication Style

Inventory, a questionnaire for evaluating the predominance of certain individual communication

behaviors on six scales (expressiveness, preciseness, verbal aggressiveness, questioningness,

emotionality and impression manipulativeness). (3) Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the

model proposed showed god fit indices. The reliability of the model shown by the Cronbach’s alpha

of α=.81 was adequate, and so was single-level and aggregate consistency. Finally, in the analysis of

variance by type of contract, configural, metric and scalar invariance was acceptable, but not strict

invariance. (4) Conclusions: This instrument progresses in measuring non-technical attributes, such

as communication styles, in nursing personnel.

Keywords: Validation, communication, questionnaire, healthcare attention, patient satisfaction,

nursing.

1. Introduction

Communication is a basic competence of vital personal and professional importance [1,2]. In

recent decades, a great deal of research has been dedicated to communication styles in healthcare, as

one of the basic pillars of wellbeing [3]. In this job context, where transfer of personal information,

knowledge, ideas, opinions and feelings has a fundamental role [4] (p.507), communication between

healthcare professionals and patients and their families is a tool which directly influences the quality

of medical attention, the experience perceived by the patient and promotion of healthy living habits