Development of a Competency Scale for Rehabilitation Professionals Supporting Kayoi-no-ba in Japan

Recently, rehabilitation professionals in Japan have become increasingly involved in Kayoi-no-ba for long-term care prevention. However, there are significant differences in the quality and content of professional rehabilitation support. This study aimed to develop a competency scale for rehabilitation professionals who support Kayoi-no-ba.

A survey was mailed to rehabilitation supervisors at 440 facilities selected from a nationwide Internet search of facilities that implement the "community-based rehabilitation activity support project," and rehabilitation professionals involved in supporting Kayoi-no-ba were asked to respond to the survey. The questionnaire was self-administered, and responses were sought via a 6-point scale for the 50 proposed competency items. For statistical analysis, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the scale. Covariance structure analysis was used to assess model fit and to evaluate the reliability and internal consistency of the scale.

Among the 260 facilities that responded (59.1%), 607 participants provided valid responses. The final competency scale had a 3-factor structure (knowledge and attitude, ability to coordinate groups, and clinical practice skills) comprising 20 items. Model fit and internal consistency were good.

Our findings indicate that rehabilitation professionals who support Kayoi-no-ba should have the attitude and knowledge of supporters, the ability to coordinate groups, and the clinical practice skills of rehabilitation therapists. This competency scale could be used as a guideline to improve the quality of support.