Developing a Facilitators Scale in the Context of Travel: ReTRIP

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation science
• Disability studies
• Health services research

Background:

• Participation in travel-related activities is crucial for quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
• Existing measures do not adequately capture the facilitators that promote travel participation for people with SCI.
• Understanding these facilitators is essential for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Removing Travel Restrictions Influencing Participation (ReTRIP) scale.
• To identify factors that facilitate travel participation for individuals with SCI.
• To provide a tool for researchers and clinicians to assess and enhance travel opportunities for people with SCI.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method approach was employed, starting with qualitative interviews with diverse stakeholders.
• Item generation and refinement involved cognitive interviews and expert review.
• Quantitative data were collected from individuals with SCI, and psychometric properties were examined using Rasch analysis.

Main Results:

• The qualitative phase identified 5 categories of travel facilitators.
• The final 11-item ReTRIP scale demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties.
• The scale comprises two dimensions: industry-oriented facilitators and self-oriented facilitators.

Conclusions:

• The 11-item ReTRIP scale is a promising tool for measuring facilitators of travel participation in people with SCI.
• The scale can aid researchers and clinicians in designing client-centered interventions to improve travel experiences.
• Further validation with larger samples is recommended.