Capturing Collaboration: Validation of the Intraprofessional Collaborative Practice Survey in Occupational Therapy Students.

Abstract

Importance: Intraprofessional collaboration between occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants enhances treatment outcomes and ensures coordinated and client-centered care. Although the Intraprofessional Collaborative Practice Survey (ICPS) was developed to assess intraprofessional collaboration, psychometric validation has not been established.

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the ICPS among occupational therapy students in the United States.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Accredited occupational therapy programs across the United States.

Participants: A total of 389 occupational therapy students (236 in master of occupational therapy [MOT] programs and 153 in occupational therapy doctorate [OTD] programs) completed the ICPS. A subset of 289 students also completed an adapted version of the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS).

Outcomes and measures: The ICPS, occupational therapy version, and an adapted version of the ICCAS.

Results: Factor analyses supported the hypothesized four-domain structure for both perceived importance and perceived ability modules in the ICPS. Internal consistency was excellent. Evidence of convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity was found, with moderate to strong correlations with the ICCAS. Measurement invariance was supported across MOT and OTD program students.

Conclusions and relevance: The ICPS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing intraprofessional collaboration competencies. Its alignment with the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education's 2023 practice-based standards underscores its value for program evaluation and professional development.

Plain-language summary: Collaboration between occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants is essential for safe, effective client care. This study validated the use of the Intraprofessional Collaborative Practice Survey (ICPS) among occupational therapy students and found it to be reliable and consistent across master's and doctoral programs. The ICPS can help educators and researchers evaluate student learning, track collaboration competencies, and strengthen training programs.