Construct Validity and Reliability of the Continuing Bonds Scale in a Sample of Bereaved Costa Rican Men.

Abstract

Introduction: There is a dearth of research investigating grief as continuing bonds in men, and the psychometric properties of the Continuing Bonds Scale have not been specifically evaluated in male populations.

Aim: To evaluate the psychometric properties of construct validity and reliability of the Continuing Bonds Scale in bereaved Costa Rican men.

Method: A methodological study was conducted. A sample of 170 participants completed a self-administered online questionnaire. Variables included sociodemographic characteristics, mediators of mourning and continuing bonds measured by the Continuing Bonds Scale. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient were performed.

Results: Factor analysis confirmed the distribution of items into two factors: internalised and externalised continuing bonds. The total variance explained was 53.03%. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-factor solution. Cronbach's Alpha coefficient indicated good internal consistency (α = 0.898).

Discussion: The results suggest that the Continuing Bonds Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the ongoing internal relationship between the bereaved person and the deceased in bereaved Costa Rican men, allowing for appropriate research and clinical use.

Implications: Mental health nurses can utilise the Continuing Bonds Scale to assess men's continuing bonds expressions and develop individualised care plans to support their adaptation to loss.

Relevance statement: Given the frequent interaction between mental health nurses and bereaved individuals, the availability of contextually appropriate instruments is essential for improving professional practice. The Continuing Bonds Scale can enhance the effectiveness of mental health interventions by clarifying the real needs of bereaved individuals from diverse societies and cultures. Furthermore, NANDA-I has proposed diagnoses on adaptive and maladaptive grieving. These diagnoses align with recent perspectives that integrate the natural occurrence of continuing bonds into the grieving process. By challenging traditional grief models, these nursing diagnoses position mental health nurses within a more compassionate framework that is sensitive to continuing bonds expressions.