Psychometric Properties of the Treatment Perception and Preferences Measure

Abstract

Patient-centered care involves the provision of treatments that are responsive to patients' preferences. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Treatment Perception and Preferences measure. Participants ( n = 128) completed the measure relative to pharmacological, educational, and behavioral treatments for the management of insomnia. For each treatment, the measure presents a description of its goal, activities, mode and dose of delivery, and nine items to rate its perceived acceptability. All items measuring perception of treatment were internally consistent (α > .85) and loaded on one factor, except the item assessing severity of side effects. Differences in the measure's scores between groups of participants provided evidence of validity: participants with a preference for a particular treatment rated it more favorably than alternative treatments. The measure provides a systematic and efficient method for eliciting well-informed treatment preferences. Its use in practice should be investigated.

Keywords: acceptability; measure; reliability; treatment preferences; validity.