OT Students' Test–Retest Reliability of the RIPLS and IEPS

The purpose of this study was to establish the test/re-test reliability of two interprofessional education (IPE) instruments, the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) (McFadyen, A. K., Webster, V. S., & Maclaren, W. M. (2006); McFadyen, Maclaren, & Webster, 2007) compared the results of the psychometric properties of both assessments and Sciascia et al. (2019) replicated this previous study while using more disciplines. This study examined in detail the test/re-test reliability using both the IEPS and RIPLS amongst occupational therapy (OT) graduate students. Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) 2012 identified the need to coordinate interprofessional learning into coursework. The intent was to compare results based on previous IPE experience and year in the program. The RIPLS and IEPS were distributed to 111 OT students at one university. Both instruments were distributed a second time 10-14 days later. Weighted Kappas, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement, and minimal detectable change were calculated for each instrument’s composite scores and subscales. Assessments occurred for all subjects, between students with and without previous IPE experience, and first and second year students in the program. Overall and between group composite score reliability for the RIPLS and IEPS were fair to excellent (ICC > 0.72). RIPLS subscale ICC’s were variable per previous IPE experience and year in program, ranging from fair-excellent (ICC = 0.45-0.93). IEPS subscale ICC’s were excellent for second year students (ICC > 0.79), and fair-excellent for students with or without previous experience and first year students (ICC = 0.50-0.84). There were no differences for the RIPLS within or between sessions or groups. First year students had significantly higher scores compared to second year students within sessions for the IEPS composite score, Competency and Autonomy subscale, and Perception of Actual Cooperation subscale (p < 0.035). Both instruments have acceptable test-re-test reliability; however, previous IPE experience and year in program should be accounted for when distributing the instruments and interpreting the results. Interprofessional education is a growing concern within professional programs, such as OT curriculum and ACOTE accreditation requirements specifically. Therefore, it is necessary to establish if commonly used tools for measuring the outcomes related to interprofessional education are reliable. Interprofessional education is a growing concern within professional programs, such as OT curriculum and ACOTE accreditation requirements specifically. Therefore, it is necessary to establish if commonly used tools for measuring the outcomes related to interprofessional education are reliable.

References

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2012). 2011 Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) standards. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66(Suppl.), S6-S74. https://doi.org/ 10.5014/ajot.2012.66S6

McFadyen, A. K., Webster, V. S., & Maclaren, W. M. (2006). The test-retest reliability of a revised version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Journal of Interprofessional Care, 20(6), 633-639. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820600991181

McFadyen, A. K., Maclaren, W. M., & Webster, V. S. (2007). The Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS): An alternative remodelled sub-scale structure and its reliability. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 21, 433-443. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820701352531

Sciascia, A., Christopher, K., Humphrey, C., Simpkins, L., Page, C. G., & Jones, L. G. (2019). Test/Re-Test reliability of the readiness for interprofessional education learning scale and interdisciplinary education perception scale in health science students. Journal of Interprofessional Care. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/13561820.2019.1699038