Document Type (Journals)
Original Research
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to establish structural validity, internal reliability, and concurrent validity of the Self-Assessment scale of Clinical Reasoning in Occupational Therapy (SA-CROT) when used in continuing professional development. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 513 occupational therapists with ≤5 years of experience. Rasch analysis was applied to assess structural validity (rating scale functioning, monotonicity, dimensionality, item/person fit) and reliability (item/person reliability, strata). Additionally, concurrent validity was examined by Spearman’s correlation with clinical experience. The Rasch rating scale analysis supported the structural validity of the SA-CROT. Categories showed ordered thresholds with outfit mean-square (MnSq) values ranging from 0.89 to 1.36. Thresholds and category measures progressed monotonically. Principal components of residuals supported unidimensionality (69.4% variance). Item fit was acceptable (infit/outfit MnSq: 0.74–1.23), with 8.4% respondent misfit. The internal reliability of the SA-CROT was high (item separation: 0.96; person separation: 0.83; strata: 6.1). Rasch person estimates moderately correlated with years of clinical experience (ρ = 0.46, p < .001). The SA-CROT demonstrated good structural validity, strong internal reliability, and a significant relationship with clinical experience, providing evidence of its concurrent validity. These initial findings suggest the scale may hold potential value in continuing professional development by assisting occupational therapists in reflecting on reasoning processes and potentially monitoring their growth across early-career stages.
Biography
Sho Maruyama, PhD, OTR is a visiting researcher at Tokyo Metropolitan University, Keio University, and Kitasato University and a manager of the rehabilitation department at Shonan-Keiiku Hospital. He holds an M.S. in Rehabilitation and a Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy. His research interests focus on clinical reasoning, reflection, and clinical education in occupational therapy.
Reiko Miyamoto, PhD, OTR currently holds the position of Associate Professor at the Department of Occupational Therapy, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on several areas, including decision-making and self-recognition using fMRI and fNIRS, basic handwriting skills, stigma related to individuals with disabilities, the education of occupational therapists in clinical training, and the development of new educational tools using virtual reality. Her educational topics encompass cognitive rehabilitation and vocational therapy for clients with brain injuries, as well as support for clients in decision-making processes.
Takuya Hirose, PhD, OTR is an occupational therapist working at a hospital while also serving as a research fellow at Keio University and Kibi International University. His primary area of research is evidence-based practice (EBP), with a focus on developing theoretical frameworks and educational approaches that integrate EBP with the professional expertise of occupational therapy.
Takao Kaneko, MS, OTR is an occupational therapist working at Yamagata Prefectural Central Hospital, where he is engaged in acute-phase rehabilitation. He holds an M.S. in Occupational Therapy. His research interests focus on rehabilitation-related health services, explored primarily through systematic and scoping reviews.
Peter Bontje, PhD, OTR is a professor in the rehabilitation department at Hiroshima Cosmopolitan University. He holds a Ph.D. from the Karolinska Institute. His research topics are occupational science, client-centered inter-professionalism, peer support, and first-person perspectives.
Declaration of Interest
We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Recommended Citation
Maruyama, S., Miyamoto, R., Hirose, T., Kaneko, T., & Bontje, P. (2026). A Rasch Analysis of the Self-Assessment Scale of Clinical Reasoning in Occupational Therapy (SA-CROT) for Continuing Professional Development. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 10 (1). Retrieved from https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol10/iss1/8
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