Validity and reliability evaluation of the Turkish version of the Clinical Interpersonal Reactivity Index

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Clinical Interpersonal Reactivity Index, an instrument to assess nurses' empathy. Background: A practical empathic approach is valuable for planning nursing interventions suitable for the patient's conditions and needs and increasing patient satisfaction. Design: This is a methodological study. Methods: The study was carried out at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Training and Research Hospital, recruiting a total of 358 nurses between January and February 2023. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to determine and validate the factor structure of the Clinical Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Results: The exploratory factor analysis extracted three factors. According to the confirmatory factor analysis, all goodness of fit measures were within acceptable limits. Cronbach's α values were 0.89 for the total scale with 17 items and between 0.73 and 0.81 for the factors. In test–retest analyses, all intra-class correlation coefficients were higher than 0.7, and the correlations between the first and second applications of the scale were between 0.61 and 0.73. Conclusion: The Turkish version of the Clinical Interpersonal Reactivity Index can be applied as a valid and reliable measurement tool to evaluate empathy in Turkish nurses.