Evaluating the reliability of the Needs in Recovery Assessment (NiRA) with simulated patients

Published online: 24 Mar 2021Introduction: The Needs in Recovery Assessment (NiRA) is a tool designed to support recoveryoriented and person-centred approaches in mental health services through facilitating the identification and prioritisation of needs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interrater reliability of the NiRA. Method: Ten mental health clinicians from various professional backgrounds used the NiRA to facilitate assessment interviews with Simulated Patients. Completed and semi-completed NiRA forms, questionnaires, and audio-visual recordings of assessment interviews were collected for analysis. The interrater reliability of the NiRA was calculated using percent agreement and Gwet’s Agreement Coefficient (AC)¹. Results: Percent agreement across all items of the finalised tool was 0.84 (item range: 0.55 to 1.0). Overall interrater reliability (Gwet’s AC¹ ) was 0.70 (95% CI 0.64-0.76) with items ranging from -0.08 to 1.0. Conclusion: The NiRA is a reliable tool and is ready to be trialled in a feasibility study in clinical settings. It is anticipated that the NiRA will facilitate a deeper understanding of service users’ needs and a more targeted approach to meeting unmet needs.Ellen L. Davies, Andrea L. Gordon, Kenneth J. Hooper, Lemuel J. Pelentsov, and Adrian J. Esterma