Reliability and Validity Testing of the Quantified Quality of Interaction Schedule

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Healthcare Quality

Background:

• Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) significantly impact resident well-being.
• Effective assessment tools are crucial for understanding and improving care quality in dementia.
• The Quality of Interactions Schedule (QuIS) is a tool designed to evaluate care interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Quality of Interactions Schedule (QuIS).
• To assess the utility of a quantification scoring approach for the QuIS.
• To establish the QuIS as a dependable measure for interaction quality in dementia care.

Main Methods:

• Utilized baseline data from the Evidence Integration Triangle for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (EIT-4-BPSD) study.
• Applied a quantification scoring approach to the Quality of Interactions Schedule (QuIS).
• Conducted Rasch analysis to assess internal consistency and item fit.

Main Results:

• Achieved high inter-rater reliability (Kappa scores .86–1.00).
• Demonstrated excellent internal consistency (item reliability .98).
• Found significant association between resistiveness to care and total QuIS scores, supporting validity.

Conclusions:

• The quantified Quality of Interactions Schedule (QuIS) is a reliable and valid instrument.
• Supports the use of quantified QuIS for evaluating interaction quality over time.
• Facilitates testing interventions aimed at improving care interactions for individuals with dementia.