PURPOSE: This study was to examine occupational therapy (OT) students' attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates and validate an instrument used to measure their attitudes. METHODS: OT students (n=128) from one university in Alabama, United States, completed an online survey exploring their attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates, which was assessed using the Rehabilitation Orientation Scale (ROS), a 7-point scale. Dimensional structure, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and relations to other variables of the ROS was evaluated using factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha, known-groups method, and univariable correlations, respectively. RESULTS: Unidimensionality of the ROS was confirmed with an alpha coefficient of 0.90. The mean ROS score of the respondents was 5.1; a score toward 7 indicated a more supportive attitude. About 60% of the respondents reported supportive attitudes (i.e., an ROS score ≥5). Respondents' ROS scores were significantly higher than those of the public and criminal justice professionals. Female students reported a more supportive attitude than males. Multiple regression analysis indicated that respondents' consideration of working in prison settings after graduation and their perception that OT has a role in prison settings were significantly associated with support for rehabilitating inmates, after controlling for gender and an acquaintance with someone who has been incarcerated. CONCLUSION Results indicated that the ROS demonstrated adequate psychometric properties as it applied to this population. The majority of respondents reported supportive attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates. Consideration of working in prison settings after graduation and the perception that OT has a role in prison settings were 2 independent factors associated with respondents' attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates.

PURPOSE: This study was to examine occupational therapy (OT) students' attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates and validate an instrument used to measure their attitudes. METHODS: OT students (n=128) from one university in Alabama, United States, completed an online survey exploring their attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates, which was assessed using the Rehabilitation Orientation Scale (ROS), a 7-point scale. Dimensional structure, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and relations to other variables of the ROS was evaluated using factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha, known-groups method, and univariable correlations, respectively. RESULTS: Unidimensionality of the ROS was confirmed with an alpha coefficient of 0.90. The mean ROS score of the respondents was 5.1; a score toward 7 indicated a more supportive attitude. About 60% of the respondents reported supportive attitudes (i.e., an ROS score ≥5). Respondents' ROS scores were significantly higher than those of the public and criminal justice professionals. Female students reported a more supportive attitude than males. Multiple regression analysis indicated that respondents' consideration of working in prison settings after graduation and their perception that OT has a role in prison settings were significantly associated with support for rehabilitating inmates, after controlling for gender and an acquaintance with someone who has been incarcerated. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that the ROS demonstrated adequate psychometric properties as it applied to this population. The majority of respondents reported supportive attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates. Consideration of working in prison settings after graduation and the perception that OT has a role in prison settings were 2 independent factors associated with respondents' attitudes toward rehabilitating inmates.
Alabama ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Criminal Law ; Criminals ; Female ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Occupational Therapy ; Prisons ; Psychometrics ; Rehabilitation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; United States

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to describe the development and validation of the Hocus Focus Magic Performance Evaluation Scale (HFMPES), which is used to evaluate the competency of health professions personnel in delivering magic tricks as a therapeutic modality. METHODS: A 2-phase validation process was used. Phase I (content validation) involved 16 magician judges who independently rated the relevance of each of the 5 items in the HFMPES and established the veracity of its content. Phase II evaluated the psychometric properties of the HFMPES. This process involved 2 magicians using the HFMPES to independently evaluate 73 occupational therapy graduate students demonstrating 3 magic tricks. RESULTS: The HFMPES achieved an excellent scale-content validity index of 0.99. Exploratory factor analysis of the HFMPES scores revealed 1 distinct factor with alpha coefficients ≥0.8 across the 3 magic tricks. The construct validity of the HFMPES scores was further supported by evidence from a known-groups analysis, in which the Mann–Whitney U-test showed significant difference in HFMPES scores between participants with different levels of experience in delivering the 3 magic tricks. The inter-rater reliability coefficients were ≥0.75 across the 3 magic tricks, indicating that the competency of health professions personnel in delivering the 3 magic tricks could be evaluated precisely. CONCLUSION Preliminary evidence supported the content and construct validity of the HFMPES, which was found to have good internal consistency and inter-rater reliability in evaluating health professions personnel's competency in delivering magic tricks.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to describe the development and validation of the Hocus Focus Magic Performance Evaluation Scale (HFMPES), which is used to evaluate the competency of health professions personnel in delivering magic tricks as a therapeutic modality. METHODS: A 2-phase validation process was used. Phase I (content validation) involved 16 magician judges who independently rated the relevance of each of the 5 items in the HFMPES and established the veracity of its content. Phase II evaluated the psychometric properties of the HFMPES. This process involved 2 magicians using the HFMPES to independently evaluate 73 occupational therapy graduate students demonstrating 3 magic tricks. RESULTS: The HFMPES achieved an excellent scale-content validity index of 0.99. Exploratory factor analysis of the HFMPES scores revealed 1 distinct factor with alpha coefficients ≥0.8 across the 3 magic tricks. The construct validity of the HFMPES scores was further supported by evidence from a known-groups analysis, in which the Mann–Whitney U-test showed significant difference in HFMPES scores between participants with different levels of experience in delivering the 3 magic tricks. The inter-rater reliability coefficients were ≥0.75 across the 3 magic tricks, indicating that the competency of health professions personnel in delivering the 3 magic tricks could be evaluated precisely. CONCLUSION: Preliminary evidence supported the content and construct validity of the HFMPES, which was found to have good internal consistency and inter-rater reliability in evaluating health professions personnel's competency in delivering magic tricks.
Complementary Therapies ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Magic ; Occupational Therapy ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results ; United States