{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T15:33:21Z","timestamp":1774452801261,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774310400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Healthcare"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Aims: To conduct an exploratory analysis the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Soft Skills Questionnaire for Nurses (SSQN) and examine its conceptual coherence and its preliminary empirical behavior among nursing professionals and students. The aim is to critically assess the instrument\u2019s suitability as a tool for exploring perceptions and self-reported soft skills rather than to establish its psychometric validity. Design: Exploratory methodological study focused on analyzing the empirical performance and conceptual adequacy of the SSQN within a Spanish sample, with particular attention to the internal patterns of responses and the coherence between the instrument\u2019s items and its proposed dimensions. Methods: The process included the translation of the questionnaire and an empirical application in a sample of nursing professionals and students. Exploratory analyses were performed, including exploratory factor analysis and reliability assessment (Cronbach\u2019s alpha and McDonald\u2019s omega), using Jeffreys\u2019s Amazing Statistics Program (JASP) (version 1.18.3), in order to examine the structural performance of the instrument and detect possible conceptual and methodological limitations. Results: The SSQN showed notable inconsistencies in its empirical structure, with dimensions that did not display clear or theoretically coherent patterns. Factor inconsistencies and low internal consistency suggest that the instrument does not adequately capture the multidimensionality of interpersonal skills, reflecting weaknesses inherent in its original formulation rather than in the adaptation process. Conclusions: The Spanish version of the SSQN cannot be considered valid or reliable in its current form. The results underscore the need for a thorough revision of the questionnaire and a conceptual rethinking to develop more robust tools for assessing soft skills. Impact: This study highlights the need for a solid methodological evaluation before introducing instruments designed to measure complex and subjective competencies in the healthcare field.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare14070827","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T13:57:34Z","timestamp":1774447054000},"page":"827","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Methodical Review of the Psychometric Properties of the Soft Skills Questionnaire for Nurses"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Joana","family":"Guti\u00e9rrez Garc\u00eda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral International School, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28935 M\u00f3stoles, Spain"},{"name":"University Hospital of M\u00f3stoles, 28935 Mostoles, Spain"}]},{"given":"Silvia","family":"Ort\u00edz Molina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Hospital of M\u00f3stoles, 28935 Mostoles, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1307-5434","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo","family":"Pocinho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, High School of Education and Social Sciences, 2400 Leiria, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5519-7515","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan Jos\u00e9","family":"Fern\u00e1ndez Mu\u00f1oz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Area of Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorc\u00f3n, Spain"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.33160\/yam.2018.03.001","article-title":"Nursing Competency: Definition, Structure and Development","volume":"61","author":"Fukada","year":"2018","journal-title":"Yonago Acta Med."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.47460\/uct.v28i123.815","article-title":"Soft skills and teaching educational practice in nursing","volume":"28","author":"Domo","year":"2024","journal-title":"Univ. 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