Nurse codependency: instrument development and validation

This study developed and evaluated the Nurse Codependency Questionnaire (NCQ) and generated initial estimates of the stability and internal consistency of responses for the questionnaire. An initial pool of 95 items, reflective of four domains of codependency, was generated from the codependency literature using a domain-referenced approach. Seven expert judges from the nursing and codependency fields calculated the content validity index (CVI) as > .80. Items were critiqued for relevance, clarity, and predicted direction of each item's correlation with the total codependency score. A convenience sample of 547 male and female nurses from Texas was recruited from a variety of professional settings to test the NCQ. Evidence of reliability and validity was sought through the use of principal factor analysis (PFA) techniques and correlation analysis. The specific domains of "codependent caretaking" and "lack of voice" represented two of the four hypothesized domains that were supported by factor analysis. Data screening and item analysis resulted in a final sample of 24 items. Test-retest reliability was .90 and internal consistency reliability was .80 for the entire scale. Reliability estimates for the "codependent caretaking" and "lack of voice" scales were .65 and .59, respectively for test-retest; and .81 and .64, respectively for internal consistency. Known groups validity was supported by each of the factors' ability to discriminate between binge and nonbinge eaters. The NCQ may be useful for identifying codependency within the nursing profession. Research is needed to determine the external factors that influence the overt expression of nurse codependency. Screening for nurse codependency may contribute to the health of the profession by providing a means for anticipatory guidance and early intervention.