Development of an Examiner-Examinee Rapport Scale for Neuropsychological Testing: The Barnett Rapport Questionnaire -...

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Psychometrics
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Rapport, the interpersonal dynamic between examinee and examiner, is crucial in neuropsychological assessments.
• Existing tools for measuring rapport may have limitations in usability and psychometric accuracy.
• The original Barnett Rapport Questionnaire required refinement to better capture the nuances of this interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the original Barnett Rapport Questionnaire.
• To develop a more user-friendly and psychometrically sound instrument for assessing rapport in neuropsychological evaluations.
• To validate the revised questionnaire across diverse age cohorts.

Main Methods:

• Participants included college students, middle-aged adults, and older adults undergoing neuropsychological testing.
• Both examinees and examiners completed versions of the revised Barnett Rapport Questionnaire-2 (BRQ-2).
• Confirmatory factor analyses were employed to validate the two-factor structure of the BRQ-2.

Main Results:

• A nine-item, two-factor model was confirmed for both examinee and examiner versions of the BRQ-2.
• No significant differences in total BRQ-2 scores were observed across age cohorts.
• Specific patterns emerged: older adults favored positively worded items, while examiners rated rapport more negatively for younger examinees.

Conclusions:

• The Barnett Rapport Questionnaire-2 (BRQ-2) demonstrates enhanced usability and improved psychometric qualities.
• The BRQ-2 is a reliable tool for measuring rapport in neuropsychological assessment settings.
• The findings support the BRQ-2's utility across different age groups, with nuanced observations regarding item endorsement.