Reliability and Validity of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory in a Dutch-speaking Belgian sample

Objective: The purpose of the study was to provide psychometric evaluation of the Dutch version of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. Setting: The study took place in an intensive care unit of a university hospital. Participants: The participant group included 200 adult family members visiting a patient within the 72-hour interval after admission to the intensive care unit. Results: Principal factor analysis with varimax rotation resulted in a 5-factor solution distinguishing 5 need types: need for information, need for comfort, need for support, need for assurance and anxiety reduction, and need for proximity and accessibility. The internal consistency of the resulting subscales ranged from 0.80 to 0.62, and all factors were significantly related to each other. The Critical Care Family Needs Inventory subscales were found to be clearly related to the demographic variables age, sex, and education level. Conclusion: The reliability and validity of the Dutch-language Critical Care Family Needs Inventory as a diagnostic tool in family needs assessment are supported. (Heart Lung® 2000;29:278-86.)