Help, Teach, Counsel: How Terminology Changes in the ProQOL-5 Impact Score Reliability

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluated score reliability of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL) when contextualizing help to a relevant derivative. Method: The researchers evaluated score reliability across three datasets among school-based professionals (n = 122), teachers (n = 216), and mental health professionals (n = 543) using Cronbach’s alpha, McDonald’s omega, inter-item correlations and visual analysis. Results: Score reliability was acceptable across samples. However, item analysis indicated variability in responses indicating participants’ extracting different meaning or relevance to the items. Terminology changes may extract different meaning based on profession resulting in measurement error. Conclusions: Findings highlight use of one-word derivative changes to items may impact score reliability based on the professional activities represented. Researchers should adjust item terminology for clarity and relevance to all the professions represented in the sample. Evidence of the nature of professional activities with client or student trauma to secondary traumatic stress is presented.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

This study evaluates score reliability of the ProQoL when contextualizing help to a derivative relevant to the profession. Internal consistency may differ across professions as participants extract different item meaning, directly impacting score reliability. Researchers and practitioners using the ProQoL should review items for clarity and relevance to the professionals represented.

Keywords:

• Score reliability
• secondary traumatic stress
• burnout
• compassion satisfaction
• professional quality of life

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was partially supported by a Research and Practice Grant through the Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES).

Notes on contributors

Jennifer D. Deaton

Jennifer D. Deaton is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Educational Development at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.. She specializes in instrument development and program evaluation with research interests in affective responses of helping professionals working with trauma.

Megan A. Whitbeck

Megan A. Whitbeck is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Services at the University of Scranton. Her scholarly interests include instrument development, empathy fatigue, and factors that affect occupational wellness in mental health professionals.