Validation of a Tool to Measure Attitudes Among Community Corrections Officers Toward Shared Decision Making With Formerly Incarcerated Persons With Mental Illness

초록

Community corrections professionals may employ shared decision making (SDM) in many ways with those they supervise who have serious mental illness (SMI). This study examined the psychometric properties of the Community Corrections Shared Decision Making Scale (CCSDM), an instrument developed to measure attitudes that support SDM in community corrections settings. Community corrections professionals were surveyed as to their support of collaborative decision making with their supervisees with SMI. Exploratory factor analysis (n = 146) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 145) were used to explore and validate the scale's factor structure. Results indicate the CCSDM functions as an internally consistent, two-factor scale useful for measuring attitudes toward SDM with people who have SMI and are under community supervision. Respondents were generally supportive of SDM. Given the benefits of SDM, assessment of these beliefs is essential to inform implementation strategies aimed at establishing SDM policies and practices in community corrections settings.

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