Validation of the Professionalism of Healthcare Professionals Scale : A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

A shared sense of professionalism among healthcare professionals enhances team-based care through interprofessional collaboration. This study aimed to develop a reliable and valid scale for assessing healthcare professionals' professionalism.

This study targeted 1,162 healthcare professionals aged ≥ 20 years, including physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, clinical laboratory technologists, radiologic technologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language-hearing therapists. A preliminary 90-item scale was developed, and an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted. Construct validity was examined through item, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analyses. Reliability and criterion-related validity were assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Pearson's correlation analyses, respectively.

A lot of 393 responses were received (response rate: 33.8%). Responses from 347 participants without missing data were analyzed (valid response rate: 88.3%). Item and exploratory factor analyses produced a preliminary model of 36 items across five factors: Factor 1, "Practice Based on Advanced Skills and Knowledge;" Factor 2, "Understanding Patients and Their Surrounding Environment;" Factor 3, "Contribution to Health, Medical, and Welfare Policy;" Factor 4, "Implementation of Team-Based Medical Care;" and Factor 5, "Adherence to Ethics." Confirmatory factor analysis and model modifications were conducted based on the modification indices in collaboration with three researchers. Finally, a five-factor model consisting of 32 items was constructed. The model fit indices were as follows: comparative fit index = 0.885, goodness of fit index = 0.764, adjusted goodness of fit index = 0.731, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.085. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the entire scale was 0.972, ranging from 0.884 to 0.950 across the five factors. The correlation coefficient between the model and the Vocational Identity Scale for Company Employees was 0.355.

The findings provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the scale for healthcare professionals.