Validity of the formative physical therapy Student and Clinical Instructor Performance Instrument in the United States: a quasi-experimental, time-series study

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Student and Clinical Instructor Performance Instrument (SCIPAI), a novel formative tool used in physical therapist education to assess student and clinical instructor (CI) performance throughout clinical education experiences (CEEs). The researchers hypothesized that the SCIPAI would demonstrate concurrent, predictive, and construct validity while offering additional contemporary validity evidence. This quasi-experimental, time-series study had 811 student-CI pairs complete 2 SCIPAIs before after CEE midpoint, and an endpoint Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) during beginning to terminal CEEs in a 1-year period. Spearman rank correlation analyses used final SCIPAI and CPI like-item scores to assess concurrent validity; and earlier SCIPAI and final CPI like-item scores to assess predictive validity. Construct validity was assessed via progression of student and CI performance scores within CEEs using Wilcoxon signed-rank testing. No randomization/grouping of subjects occurred.