Integrated Primary Care Readiness and Behaviors Scale: Development and validation in behavioral health professionals

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Healthcare Management
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Integrated primary care (IPC) is expanding, but faces persistent barriers.
• Understanding behavioral health professionals' (BHPs) engagement in IPC is crucial for advancing research and training.
• This study aimed to develop and validate measures for IPC behaviors and stages of change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a scale measuring behavioral health professionals' (BHPs) behaviors and stage of change in integrated primary care (IPC).
• To assess the psychometric properties of the developed scale.
• To provide a tool for improving IPC research, education, and training.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 319 licensed, practicing BHPs participated in the study.
• Sequential measurement development procedures, including split-half cross-validation, were employed.
• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to establish scale structure and psychometric properties.

Main Results:

• A 12-item Integrated Primary Care Behavior Scale (IPCBS) with two factors (consultation/practice management and intervention/knowledge) was developed.
• The IPCBS demonstrated good model fit, excellent internal consistency, and external validation.
• MANOVA revealed significant differences in IPCBS scores across different stages and behavior groups.

Conclusions:

• The IPCBS is a psychometrically sound measure for assessing BHPs' engagement in IPC.
• The scale advances research, education, and training efforts in integrated primary care.
• The findings support the utility of the IPCBS in diverse IPC settings.