摘要
本文以DeViell (1991)， Waltz， Strickland和Lenz (1991 )等學者的測量工具發展原則與步驟為標準'來檢視並評值現有的關懷行為(Caring Behaviors)測量工具。本文搜尋自1986年至1999年CINAHL資料庫，共發現有十二種關懷行為測量工具。經分析發現有兩項主要弱點在現有的十二種量表中：(一)現有測量工具均以西方文化為發展背景，若研究者欲以非西方文化的社會為研究對象，則可能有文化敏感度的問題需再考量；(二)部份測量工具並未顯示出對量表嚴謹度的有力證據，亦即該量表的信度與效度，因此可能限制其臨床實際的應用。根據以上發現，本文建議研究者在應用測量工具前應、先瞭解該量表對關懷行為的定義，並確認量表所定義之關懷行為，研究者需要檢視在不同文化中對關懷的定義，以便選擇合宜的量表。
並列摘要
The purpose of this paper was to evaluate existing instruments of caring by using DeVeil1 (1991), Waltz, Strickland and Lenz (1991) principles and processes of tool development. Twelve caring instruments were found in a search of CINAHL database from 1986 to 1999. Two major gaps were concluded in this paper: (I) all of these instruments were developed on the western cultural basis, which may not be sensitive to people in the eastern culture, (2) several of the instruments did not provide sufficient evidences in terms of the validity and reliability of the tool, which may limit the clinical application. The finding suggested that nurse researchers need to review the definition of caring within specific instrument before the application, and to make sure the tool would measure the desired phenomenon. For measuring caring under different culture, the researchers need to examine the definition of caring for different cultures, in order to choose an appropriate tool.