Analyzing Psychometric Properties of the Societal Outreach Scale in Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Students

Purpose: Professionalism in health care is acknowledged as a significant factor in driving positive outcomes. Within physical therapy, professionalism is commonly represented by core values, with values of social responsibility and compassion increasingly desired to impact health from individual and societal levels. Assessment remains challenging with limitations in evidence concerning the psychometric properties of instruments. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the scores for the Societal Outreach Scale (SOS) and the Compassion Scale (CS) among entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. Method: Seventy-one second-year DPT students in the Southeastern United States were included in the pretest-posttest study. An online survey of SOS, CS, and Physical Therapy Core Values Self-Assessment (PTCVSA) was distributed at pre and post-intervals of a service-learning practicum (SLP). Examined psychometric properties for SOS and CS scores included test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), construct validity using Pearson correlation coefficients (r) to examine correlations between SOS scores and domains of the PTCVSA, and responsiveness through effect sizes (ES). Item analysis examined agreement and order effect between SOS and corresponding items within the PTCVSA. Results: The SOS scores demonstrated good reliability (ICC: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.71, 0.91]). The total SOS scores and those extracted from the same items on the PTCVSA demonstrated no difference (p = 0.661). Minus one item, participants scored higher on the PTCVSA with 6 items, demonstrating a significantly higher score (p < 0.05). The ES for SOS scores was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.55, 1.17), suggesting excellent responsiveness. Correlations of SOS items to PTCVSA social responsibility items ranged from 0.46 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.65) to 0.73 (95% CI: 0.56, 0.84), indicating moderate correlation (10 items), and strong correlation (2 items). The CS demonstrated poor reliability (ICC: 0.57 [0.26-0.75]) and poor responsiveness (ES: 0.35 [95% CI: 0.07, 0.62]). Conclusions: The SOS is a psychometrically strong instrument that allows independent assessment of students' social responsibility values. Results support the use of the SOS as a reliable and responsive assessment measure.