Author:

Barbara Klug Redman, PhD

Publisher:

SAGE Publications

Publication Date:

2002

Edition:

First

Binding:

Paperback

Category:

Organizational Variables

Description:

The author purports a necessity for psychometrically sound instruments in measuring ethical concepts in clinical and research activities. Therefore, this book presents a compendium of instruments that have available psychometric information. Each chapter (2 through 11) contains scales appropriate to a specific construct of ethics:

The author(s), development, description of administration and scoring, psychometrics, summary and critique, references, and a copy of the scale are included for each instrument. The concluding chapter (12) provides a brief, three-page summary of the use of instruments. Appendix A provides an overview of the included measures in chart-format.

Types of Information or Instruments:

Instruments for measurement of ethical constructs in clinical and research settings, including patient preference, patient comprehension, and decisional capacity, among others.

Examples of included instruments are: Decision Involvement Questionnaire (DIQ), Pre-Vignette Knowledge Test, Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE), Values Assessment and Directives Form (VAD), Willingness to Withdraw Life Support (WWLS), Appropriateness of Care Questionnaire (ACQ), Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ), Hospital Ethical Climate Survey (HECS), Criteria for Selection of Transplant Recipient Scale (CSTR), and Ethics Consultants’ Recommendations (ECR).

Quantity of Instruments:

Adequate; more than 30.

Quality of Instrument Descriptions:

Excellent: Each instrument summary includes author(s), development, description of administration and scoring, psychometrics, summary and critique, references, and a copy of the scale.

Quality of Psychometric Information:

Excellent: Each instrument summary includes any available information on validity (construct and content), reliability (internal consistency and any other forms), and sensitivity (responsiveness) to interventions.

Scale Accessibility:

The book provides full scales.

Book Provides Actual Scale Items:

Yes.

User-friendly Navigation:

The book is easy to navigate.

Other Types of Information:

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the use of measurement in ethics. It describes the development of instruments, standards for development (validity, reliability, responsiveness), and common definitions.

Hints:

For a quick, brief overview of instruments and their properties, refer to Appendix A.