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

Rapport in the context of neuropsychological assessment refers to the interpersonal interaction between the examinee and examiner. The purpose of this study was to improve upon the original Barnett Rapport Questionnaire. Participants consisted of college students (n = 55), middle-aged adults (n = 30), and older adults (n = 99) at a university-affiliated neuropsychology clinic, who were administered a brief test battery. After testing, both examinees (n = 184) and examiners (n = 12) completed items regarding the nature of the interpersonal interaction. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated a two-factor model consisting of nine items found on both the examinee and examiner versions. No age cohort differences were found on the total Barnett Rapport Questionnaire - 2 (BRQ-2) scores for the examiner or examinee version; however, older adults endorsed the positively worded items more than young adults, and examiners endorsed the negatively worded items more for young adult examinees than for older adult examinees. No differences were found by gender or by race/ethnicity. The BRQ-2 promises better usability and improved psychometric qualities for the measurement of rapport in the context of neuropsychological assessment.