Moral Distress Scale for Occupational Therapists: Part 1. Instrument Development and Content Validity

Abstract

Abstract OBJECTIVE. We describe the development of an instrument to measure moral distress experienced by occupational therapists and show how its content validity was established. METHOD. Written comments (n = 78) from a previous survey using the Moral Distress Scale–Revised–Other Health Provider Adult were used to modify that instrument and create the Moral Distress Scale–Revised–Occupational Therapy–Adult Settings (MDS–R–OT[A]). The MDS–R–OT[A] was distributed to a nationwide random sample of 400 occupational therapists who rated the relevance of each item to their clinical practice. RESULTS. A scale content validity index of 81.8% was found (geriatric = 81.5%, physical disability = 80.8%, combination of the two = 85.7%). CONCLUSION. The MDS–R–OT[A] possesses acceptable content validity and is appropriate for use with occupational therapists working in geriatric or physical disability settings.