Reliability Testing of the Team Member Mealtime Experience Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Research

Background:

• Team member perspectives significantly impact resident mealtime experiences.
• Limited understanding exists regarding staff ability to provide resident- and relationship-centred mealtime care.
• Developing reliable measurement tools is crucial for assessing and improving care quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop the Team member Mealtime Experience Questionnaire (TMEQ).
• To determine the factor structure of the TMEQ.
• To assess the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the TMEQ.

Main Methods:

• A 23-item questionnaire was developed through iterative steps.
• Data were collected from 137 team members across five diverse care homes.
• Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analyses (ICC, Cronbach's alpha) were performed.

Main Results:

• The final 19-item TMEQ demonstrated strong psychometric properties.
• Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.81-0.92) and test-retest reliability (ICC: 0.72-0.85) were high.
• Lower scores were observed for time- and task-focused items, while higher scores indicated positive perceptions of knowledge and capability for resident-centred care.

Conclusions:

• The 19-item Team member Mealtime Experience Questionnaire (TMEQ) is a reliable and valid instrument.
• The TMEQ can be utilized in research and practice to evaluate staff perceptions of mealtime care.
• Findings highlight areas for potential intervention to enhance resident-centred mealtime care delivery.