Nurses’ attitudes toward physical health care of psychiatric patients scale: development and validation study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Psychiatric patients experience poorer physical health and reduced life expectancy compared to the general population due to lifestyle factors, medication effects, and limited access to integrated care. Addressing physical health needs in this population is an important component of holistic mental health care. Nurses play a key role in supporting patients’ physical health in psychiatric settings, and their attitudes may influence the quality of care. Therefore, there is a need for a valid and reliable instrument to assess nurses’ attitudes toward the physical health care of psychiatric patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop the Nurses’ Attitudes Towards Physical Health Care of Psychiatric Patients Scale (NATPHCPPS) and to evaluate its psychometric properties. METHODS: This study was designed and conducted using a methodological research approach. The items of the NATPHCPPS were generated based on an extensive literature review. The scale was administered through face-to-face questionnaires to nurses working in a psychiatric hospital in Türkiye. The study sample consisted of 225 volunteer nurses. The psychometric properties of the scale, including content validity, construct validity, and internal consistency reliability, were examined. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: The final version of the scale consisted of 16 items and a three-factor structure (Motivation, Emotional Challenge, Responsibility Awareness). The three factors explained 74.5% of the total variance. Cronbach’s α coefficient for the overall scale was 0.94. The internal consistency coefficients were 0.93 for Factor 1, 0.86 for Factor 2, and 0.91 for Factor 3. The 16-item scale demonstrated strong internal consistency. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the NATPHCPPS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing nurses’ attitudes toward the physical health care of psychiatric patients in a Turkish sample. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the scale’s applicability among nurses working in different clinical settings and in other countries. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
Source: BMC Nursing
Authors: Nurcan Düzgün, Satı Demir, Adnan Kan
Institution: Gazi University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
OpenAlex ID: W7156807380