ABSTRACT Mealtime assistance for people living with dementia presents care‐related challenges, yet few validated instruments assess nursing staff perspectives. This study developed and conducted an exploratory validation of the Assisting Mealtime Scale. A multi‐phase instrument development process included literature review, expert consultation, content validation, pilot testing, and forward–backward translation. The 19‐item scale was administered to nursing staff in aged care settings in Australia and China ( N = 240). Exploratory factor analysis using principal axis factoring with Promax rotation examined factor structure. Sampling adequacy was assessed using the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test and Bartlett's test of sphericity. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Sampling adequacy was excellent (KMO = 0.891). A three‐factor solution explained 55.25% of total variance. Factors represented Perceived Knowledge and Skill Gaps, Time and Task Pressure, and Attitudes Toward mealtime assistance and Autonomy. The overall scale demonstrated good reliability ( α = 0.890). The scale demonstrates preliminary construct validity and reliability. Further confirmatory and cross‐cultural validation is required.
Tang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.