Content Validity of the Quality of Interactions Inventory (QUALII) in Assisted Living

BACKGROUND/AIM: To promote staff and resident well-being in Assisted Living (AL), it is essential to enhance daily care interactions between staff and older adults with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD). There is currently no comprehensive instrument that can both guide the process of improving care interactions and appraise the impact of such improvements in AL. We developed a comprehensive instrument, the Quality of Interactions Inventory (QUALII), that accomplishes both tasks. Here, we evaluate its content validity. METHODS: An eDelphi study with a convenience sample of N=10 clinical/academic experts in ADRD care and communication. Item-Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Scale-Content Validity Index (S-CVI) were computed using quantitative ratings; item revisions were based on content analysis of qualitative comments. RESULTS: Following 3 rounds of eDelphi survey, QUALII was reduced to a 19-item tool with I-CVI=0.90 to 1.00 for item relevance, I-CVI=0.80 to 1.00 for item clarity, and S-CVI=0.93 for the overall scale. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: QUALII demonstrated excellent content validity and will be used for pilot testing in AL communities. Upon pilot testing, QUALII could emerge as a valid, reliable, and comprehensive tool for promoting positive care interactions in ADRD care.