Psychometric properties of the 11-item Trust in the Medical Profession scale (TIMP) Malay version.

BACKGROUND

Trust in the medical profession is important for patient engagement, treatment adherence, and effective healthcare relationships; thus, a culturally appropriate patient-reported instrument for measuring this construct in Malaysia is needed. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the 11-item Trust in the Medical Profession scale (TIMP) into Malay and evaluate its psychometric properties in a Malaysian sample.

METHODS

A cross-sectional psychometric study was conducted among 376 Malaysian adults with prior COVID-19 care experience. Content validity was evaluated by a six-expert panel. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. Structural validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent validity was evaluated through correlations with related constructs, namely the Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan (SKIP), the Malay Patient Measure of Safety-10 (M-PMOS-10), and the Malay version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-M).

RESULTS

The mean TIMP score was 3.02 (SD = 0.94) on a 5-point scale. Content validity was strong (I-CVI = 0.83-1.00; S-CVI/Ave = 0.97; mean κ = 0.97). Reliability was excellent (α = 0.94, 95% CI [0.93, 0.95]; ω = 0.94, 95% CI [0.93, 0.95]). EFA supported one factor (KMO = 0.963; Bartlett's χ²(55) = 2611.91, p < .001; first eigenvalue = 6.84, 62.1% variance) with loadings from 0.75 to 0.80. The one-factor CFA fit the data well (χ²(44) = 73.52, p = .003; CFI = 0.989; TLI = 0.986; RMSEA = 0.042 [90% CI 0.024-0.059]; SRMR = 0.023), with CR = 0.944 and AVE = 0.585. Convergent validity was supported by positive correlations with SKIP (r = .62, p < .001), M-PMOS-10 (r = .68, p < .001), and MSPSS-M (r = .16, p = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

The Malay TIMP demonstrated strong psychometric properties in this sample and provides initial evidence for assessing trust in the medical profession among Malay-speaking Malaysian adults. Further validation in broader community and clinical samples is warranted.