Psychometric Properties of the Traditional Chinese Version of the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey

TL;DR

This study created a culturally adapted survey to assess interprofessional healthcare competencies in Taiwan, ensuring it is reliable and valid for use in hierarchical healthcare systems.

Contribution

The study introduces a culturally sensitive Traditional Chinese version of an interprofessional competency survey validated for use in Taiwan's healthcare context.

Findings

The TC-ICCAS demonstrated a six-domain structure with confirmed construct validity.

All subscales showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.86–0.93).

The limited discriminant validity of one domain was interpreted as a reflection of cultural sensitivity rather than a flaw.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and validate the Traditional Chinese version of the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (TC‐ICCAS), a culturally sensitive tool for assessing interprofessional education (IPE) competencies in Taiwan's hierarchical healthcare system. Conducted from 2022 to 2023 at a tertiary medical center and guided by the COSMIN framework, this psychometric validation study involved 324 early‐career healthcare professionals. A three‐phase process was employed: (1) translation and cultural adaptation with expert review; (2) pilot testing with 30 professionals to ensure cultural relevance; and (3) field testing using post‐IPE program surveys. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the field test data confirmed the instrument's six‐domain structure (communication, collaboration, roles and responsibilities, patient‐centered care, conflict management, and team functioning) and established its construct validity. All subscales demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.86–0.93). Notably, the limited discriminant validity of the “roles and responsibilities” domain was interpreted not as a flaw, but as evidence of the tool's cultural sensitivity, reflecting the authentic role overlap common in Confucian‐influenced contexts. The TC‐ICCAS provides a reliable and valid tool for evaluating IPE outcomes, filling a critical gap in culturally appropriate instruments for hierarchical settings. Its use can enhance interprofessional training and holds the potential to improve teamwork and patient safety in Taiwan and similar Asian healthcare contexts. No patient or public contribution was included as the study focused on professional competencies.

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