Psychiatric staff members' emotional reactions toward patients. A psychometric evaluation of an extended version of the Feeling Word Checklist (FWC-58)

Abstract

The study evaluated the psychometric properties of an extended version of the Feeling Word Checklist (FWC-58), which measure the therapists' emotional reactions toward patients. Doctors, psychologists, nurses and aides from 23 wards in seven widely different psychiatric departments completed a total of 3012 forms. The original Feeling Word Checklist (Whyte CR, Constantopoulos C, Bevans HG. Br J Med Psychol 1982;55:187-201) was expanded with 28 feeling words covering more feelings of being invaded, idealized, devalued and of being secure. The rating scale was changed from a two-point (yes/no) scale to a five-point scale ranging from not at all (=0) to very much (=4). The factor analysis revealed ten factors with an eigenvalue equal or greater than 1.0. The two first factors were clearly the strongest but a two-factor solution did not satisfactorily reflect the data. The scree test indicated four to seven factors. We chose a seven-factor solution, as this seemed clinically most meaningful. Based on the factors we developed seven indices which were named: Important, Rejected, Confident, Bored, On guard, Overwhelmed and Inadequate. The subscales had satisfactory internal consistency and described meaningful emotional profiles of the different psychiatric wards and the individual patients. The seven subscales seem well worth to use in further research and in a clinical context.

• Factor Analysis