Psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the caring behaviors assessment tool in clinical nurses: a methodological study based on watson’s theory of human caring

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Caring Behaviors Assessment Tool (CBAT-P) based on Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, while accounting for the cultural context of nursing in Iran. BACKGROUND: Caring behaviors are essential in nursing, significantly impacting patient outcomes and fostering therapeutic relationships. These behaviors enhance patients’ emotional well-being and contribute to their physical recovery, fostering an environment of trust and support that is crucial to effective healthcare delivery. METHODS: A cross-sectional methodological study was conducted with 250 clinical nurses across five hospitals in Ardabil, Iran. The study adhered to COSMIN guidelines for psychometric evaluations, assessing face, content, construct, convergent, discriminant validity, and reliability. RESULTS: The CBAT-P demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.972) and strong construct validity with a satisfactory fit in Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Content validity indices indicated high relevance among experts (S-CVI/Ave = 0.878). Convergent validity was confirmed with AVE values exceeding 0.5 and Composite Reliability scores above 0.7. The tool’s stability was excellent (ICC = 0.927). RESULTS: The CBAT-P demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.972) and strong construct validity with a satisfactory fit in CFA. Content validity indices indicated high relevance among experts (S-CVI/Ave = 0.878). Convergent validity was confirmed with AVE values exceeding 0.5 and Composite Reliability scores above 0.7. The tool’s stability was excellent (ICC = 0.927). CONCLUSION: The CBAT-P is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring caring behaviors among clinical nurses in Iran, supporting its use to enhance nursing practices and improve patient care quality. Future research should explore diverse populations and the longitudinal effects of caring behaviors. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.