Knee Osteoarthritis Emotional Meaning Scale Development Study

Abstract

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, long-term disease with both physical and psychosocial consequences. In determining the treatment programs of patients diagnosed with knee OA and ensuring compliance with treatment, it is important to understand the emotional attitudes and experiences of patients regarding the physical and psychosocial effects of the disease. This study aimed to create a scale for evaluating the emotional attitudes of patients with knee OA as they manage and cope with the condition. Methods: The research was a validity and reliability study designed using methodological methods. Study data were collected from the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at a university hospital in Turkey between November and December 2024. The study sample included 90 patients diagnosed with knee OA. To establish the validity of the scale, content validity and construct validity were assessed. Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient, item-total score correlations, and the Hotelling T2 test. The test-retest method was applied to determine the scale's stability over time. Results: The content validity index (CVI) values for the draft form of the scale ranged between 0.91 and 1.00. The exploratory factor analysis indicated that the scale consisted of a single factor, which explained 41.62% of the total variance. The scale demonstrated strong reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.86, item-total correlations ranging from 0.36 to 0.73, and a significant Hotelling T2 value (P < 0.001). Test-retest analysis indicated a positive and highly significant correlation for the overall scale (r = 0.964, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The knee osteoarthritis emotional meaning scale (KOEMS) was demonstrated to be a valid and reliable instrument for this patient sample.