Validating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteers
Abstract There is an increasing demand for end-of-life care (EoLC) volunteers in Hong Kong’s aging population. However, there is no validated measure that assesses volunteers’ self-competence in coping with death. This is essential to optimize their services, and ensure their psychological well-bein...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | BMC Palliative Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01666-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823861449477324800 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhuyun Lin Vivian Weiqun Lou Wallace Chi Ho Chan |
| author_facet | Zhuyun Lin Vivian Weiqun Lou Wallace Chi Ho Chan |
| author_sort | Zhuyun Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract There is an increasing demand for end-of-life care (EoLC) volunteers in Hong Kong’s aging population. However, there is no validated measure that assesses volunteers’ self-competence in coping with death. This is essential to optimize their services, and ensure their psychological well-being. This study aimed to validate the existing Self-Competence in Death Work Scale (SC-DWS) for EoLC volunteers. This scale has been tested previously on health professionals providing end-of-life care, and was adapted for this study with words that fitted the volunteer context. A self-administered survey collected demographic information, personal experiences, the 16-item SC-DWS, 15-item Templer Death Anxiety Scale, and the 8-item Spiritual Wellbeing Scale to examine the internal consistency, concurrent validity, and discriminative validity of this scale among EoLC volunteers. The study sample consisted of all applicants who registered for the EoLC volunteer training programme between 2019 and 2021. Applicants first underwent a systematic screening and selection procedure. They completed an online registration form which included risk assessment, followed by structured individual interviews focusing on applicants’ motivation and mental preparedness for their role. The content validity of the SC-DWS was determined using data from the 341 volunteers who were screened prior to training. Construct validity was tested using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), which suggested that two-factors (subscales) offered the best combination of variables (Emotional and Existential Subscales). The new subscales and the component items differed slightly from those identified in health professional samples. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by strong correlations between the SC-DWS, and the Death Anxiety, and Spiritual Wellbeing scales. Discriminant validity was supported by strong relationships between the new subscales and participants’ personal experiences. The SC-DWS was shown not only to be reliable and valid for EoLC volunteers, but it also highlighted the unique emotional challenges they faced. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1e5a07f1bc9246a1925ee41ed33dfc61 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-684X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Palliative Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-1e5a07f1bc9246a1925ee41ed33dfc612025-02-09T12:59:42ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2025-02-012411910.1186/s12904-025-01666-wValidating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteersZhuyun Lin0Vivian Weiqun Lou1Wallace Chi Ho Chan2Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong KongDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong KongDepartment of Social Work Education, Community Wellbeing, Northumbria UniversityAbstract There is an increasing demand for end-of-life care (EoLC) volunteers in Hong Kong’s aging population. However, there is no validated measure that assesses volunteers’ self-competence in coping with death. This is essential to optimize their services, and ensure their psychological well-being. This study aimed to validate the existing Self-Competence in Death Work Scale (SC-DWS) for EoLC volunteers. This scale has been tested previously on health professionals providing end-of-life care, and was adapted for this study with words that fitted the volunteer context. A self-administered survey collected demographic information, personal experiences, the 16-item SC-DWS, 15-item Templer Death Anxiety Scale, and the 8-item Spiritual Wellbeing Scale to examine the internal consistency, concurrent validity, and discriminative validity of this scale among EoLC volunteers. The study sample consisted of all applicants who registered for the EoLC volunteer training programme between 2019 and 2021. Applicants first underwent a systematic screening and selection procedure. They completed an online registration form which included risk assessment, followed by structured individual interviews focusing on applicants’ motivation and mental preparedness for their role. The content validity of the SC-DWS was determined using data from the 341 volunteers who were screened prior to training. Construct validity was tested using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), which suggested that two-factors (subscales) offered the best combination of variables (Emotional and Existential Subscales). The new subscales and the component items differed slightly from those identified in health professional samples. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by strong correlations between the SC-DWS, and the Death Anxiety, and Spiritual Wellbeing scales. Discriminant validity was supported by strong relationships between the new subscales and participants’ personal experiences. The SC-DWS was shown not only to be reliable and valid for EoLC volunteers, but it also highlighted the unique emotional challenges they faced.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01666-wSelf-competenceScale validationVolunteersDeath workEnd-of-life care |
| spellingShingle | Zhuyun Lin Vivian Weiqun Lou Wallace Chi Ho Chan Validating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteers BMC Palliative Care Self-competence Scale validation Volunteers Death work End-of-life care |
| title | Validating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteers |
| title_full | Validating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteers |
| title_fullStr | Validating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Validating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteers |
| title_short | Validating the self-competence in death work scale for end-of-life care volunteers |
| title_sort | validating the self competence in death work scale for end of life care volunteers |
| topic | Self-competence Scale validation Volunteers Death work End-of-life care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01666-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhuyunlin validatingtheselfcompetenceindeathworkscaleforendoflifecarevolunteers AT vivianweiqunlou validatingtheselfcompetenceindeathworkscaleforendoflifecarevolunteers AT wallacechihochan validatingtheselfcompetenceindeathworkscaleforendoflifecarevolunteers |