Identity of the Midwifery Professors and Coping with Critical Incidents: Construction and Validation of an Instrument

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to design and validate an instrument that measures the components in the identity dimensions and critical incident approach in midwives professors in Chile. A quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study was applied for nine months. A questionnaire was constructed with the emerging categories of semi-structured interviews and discussion groups from a previous research. Then, a content validation and pilot testing were conducted by experts, to finally implement the instrument to 231 discipline professors from 21 universities of the country. The collected data were analyzed by means of an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, through the perception of those involved and the analysis of descriptive statistics, different types of critical incidents were validated which made it possible to identify coping strategies of denial, evasion, transitory reflection and innovative reflection. As a result, a measurement instrument vas obtained based on a content validity, construct validity and internal consistency test, which determined the identity dimensions and to know how the professors cope with overwhelming situations in academic contexts. In conclusion, the research not only opens the way for future quantitative investigations, but it also builds the first scientific-empirical foundation for the elaboration of a teacher-training program that delivers reflexive tools for the strengthening of self-representation of the midwifery teaching staff.