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Development and psychometric testing of the infant colic scale
Marsha L Cirgin Ellett1, Debra Murphy, Linda Stroud
1Indiana University School of Nursing, Family Health NU439, 1111 Middle Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5107, USA. mlellett@iupui.edu
Summary
Developing a new research instrument is sometimes necessary when existing tools lack reliability or validity. This guide outlines the essential steps for creating and psychometrically testing novel measurement tools, using the Infant Colic Scale as a practical example.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Research
- Psychometrics
- Instrument Development
Background:
- Novice researchers often face challenges finding suitable measurement instruments for clinical studies.
- Existing tools may lack established reliability and validity or fail to align with specific research problems.
- Instrument development becomes crucial when no appropriate measure is available.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate the systematic process for developing a new measurement instrument.
- To describe the essential psychometric testing procedures for validating a new tool.
- To provide a practical example of instrument development using the Infant Colic Scale.
Main Methods:
- Literature review for existing instruments.
- Defining the construct to be measured.
- Item generation and content validation.
- Pilot testing and refinement.
- Psychometric evaluation (reliability and validity).
Main Results:
- The article provides a step-by-step methodology for instrument creation.
- It details the importance of rigorous psychometric testing for ensuring data quality.
- The Infant Colic Scale serves as a case study illustrating the described process.
Conclusions:
- Developing a new instrument requires a structured approach encompassing design and validation.
- Psychometric testing is fundamental to establishing the reliability and validity of new measurement tools.
- This process empowers researchers to create appropriate instruments when none exist, advancing clinical research.