Development and validation of a therapeutic communication questionnaire for nursing students

Background: Therapeutic communication (TC) between nursing students and patients is essential for providing high-quality care. Purpose: This study aimed to introduce a questionnaire for the assessment of TC among Iranian nursing students and to examine its psychometric properties. Methods: This mixed-method research was conducted in two phases of developing tool content and validation of the scale. Results: Five factors were specified, explaining 42.89% of the total variance. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the structure of the scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.83. Conclusions: The final questionnaire was a valid and reliable scale for the self-assessment of TC among nursing students. Furthermore, scholars can use this instrument to compare students' TC before and after educational interventions. Impact statement: Nursing students' TC questionnaire is a suitable instrument for assessing nursing trainees' TC and enhancing their engagement in learning.