A Practical Guide for Item Generation in Measure Development: Insights From the Development of a Patient-Reported Experience Measure of Compassion.

BACKGROUND AND
PURPOSE: Although various measure development guidelines exist, practical guidance on how to systematically generate items is nascent. This article provides practical guidance on item generation in measure development and the use of a Table of Specifications (TOS) in this process.
METHODS: In addition to a review of the literature, the item generation process within an ongoing study to develop a valid and reliable patient-reported measure of compassion is provided.
RESULTS: Consensus on an initial pool of 109 items and their response scale was achieved with the aid of a TOS.
CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic, experiential, and relational care constructs such as compassion lie at the heart of nursing. Practical guidance on item generation is needed to allow nurses to identify, measure, and improve compassion in research and practice. © Copyright 2020 Springer Publishing Company, LLC.