Development and Content Validation of the CEECCA Questionnaire to Assess Ability to Communicate among Individuals with Aphasia Based on the NANDA-I and NOC

Abstract

This study presents the development and content validation of an instrument assessing the ability to communicate among individuals with aphasia. The study consists of three stages: (i) Selection and definition of the component dimensions and areas, construction of items assessing these dimensions, administration instructions, and qualitative criteria for assigning diagnoses; (ii) Face validity and content validity; (iii) Pilot test. The tentative questionnaire was designed using two defining characteristics of the NANDA-I (“Impaired verbal communication” and “Readiness for enhanced communication”) and the NOC outcome indicators “Communication”, “Communication: Expressive”, “Communication: Receptive”, and “Information Processing”. The areas and items reached initial content validity index (CVI) and representativeness index (RI) values of 0.87 and above. Those that did not reach the expected values were modified after expert review. The resulting questionnaire was pilot-tested for feasibility and administration times. An instrument containing five dimensions, fourteen areas, and 43 items was obtained and administered in 15 (12–31) minutes. A panel of experts evaluated the final questionnaire (CEECCA), awarding its areas and items CVI and RI values of 0.90 and above. In the absence of further psychometric studies, the questionnaire appears to be useful for assessing ability to communicate in individuals with aphasia.