Confirmatory factor analysis of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitudes Scale with school-based behavioral health consultants

• DOI: 10.1186/s13012-018-0804-z
• Publication Date: 2018-08-22T14:36:51Z
• Authors: Clayton R. Cook; Chayna Davis; Eric C. Brown; Jill Locke; Mark G. Ehrhart; Gregory A. Aarons; Madeline Larson; Aaron R. Lyon
• Keywords: Health administration; Openness to experience; Sample (material); Health Services Research; Behavioural sciences; Criterion validity

The Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) is a widely used tool, but it has not been adapted and validated for use in schools, the most common setting where youth access behavioral health services. This study examined factor structure, psychometric properties, criterion-related validity of school-adapted EBPAS sample school-based consultants.A research team comprised experts implementation evidence-based practices schools along with original developer school setting. instrument was administered to representative (n = 196) consultants assess reliability structural via series confirmatory analyses.The structure confirmed, final model supporting four first-order factors that load onto second-order capturing general attitudes toward practice. Correlations among subscales indicated both unique shared variance. between scores consultant variables demonstrated differential validity, total score Requirements Openness demonstrating strongest correlations.The performed well when operating educator sector, relevance assessing settings. Potential directions future applications other service sectors are discussed.