Measurement Properties of Physical Therapy Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PTPSQ) in an Iranian Musculoskeletal Population

A valid and reliable tool that could measure patient satisfaction with physical therapy care for Persian-speaking patients will improve communication and enhance the involvement of people in research on health care quality and disparities. We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version Physical Therapy Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PTPSQ). 

In this cross-sectional study, a prospective validation study design was adopted. In this methodological study, 297 patients from several physiotherapy centers in Kerman City, Iran, were evaluated using the PTPSQ. After the seventh session, a demographic questionnaire, visual analog scale, and the global rating of change were also answered by the participants (time point 1). The psychometric evaluation included factor analysis, divergent validity, convergent validity, and analysis of floor and ceiling effects. Reproducibility and internal consistency were investigated in this regard. To assess the test-retest reliability, 40 participants (randomly selected) completed the PTPSQ, again 24 to 48 hours later (time point 2). This research project was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. SPSS v. 24 was used for statistical analysis.

The interclass correlation coefficient was in the range of 0.80-0.94 with the Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.92. The standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and coefficient of variation for the questionnaire were 5.14, 14.39, and 0.21, respectively. Factor analysis revealed the 3-factor model. The relationship between the PTPSQ scores and the patient satisfaction index was relatively good (>0.40). 

Our results showed strong psychometric properties of the PTPSQ. Thus, we recommended its use in the Persian-speaking population.